Fleeting Memories Reoccuring Dreams
by SilverShards
Summary: When the line separating what's right and what's wrong become muddled and broken, how do you determine the side you're on? When what used to be black and white becomes gray, how do you know the difference? Samirah is just a simple scout, wanting a simple life and to do good things in her own way. We don't always get what we want. LSF RevanXCarth.
1. Prologue: Ensign Alda

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or its Characters.**

**Hello and thank you for reading : Fleeting Memories - Reoccuring Dreams**

**Its going to be a very long story and it follows the game plot with twists and changes of my own. I'm very open to feeback and reviews for they encourage me to continue. Enjoy, and thank you for taking the time to read...**

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**Prologue**

Samirah looked up at the ship, her eyes wide and a little intimidated. She wasn't use to being on a big ship—especially one full of people that she didn't know. She kind of already missed her ship, the _Silver Meridian._ Her small duffel bag was hoisted on her back and she was dressed in her normal attire—a long white shirt with a brown vest and an even darker pair of pants. She knelt down to tighten her boots around her legs and tried to mentally prepare herself for what awaited her ahead.

The _Endar Spire. _So this was going to be her new home? She had never been requested for a mission before and she felt a little giddy at the idea. It had taken them some time to track her down on the rims of the galaxy. She had actually been in the Adega system when they finally found her.

She was trying to help the republic in her own way, but was also kind of a loner. Not that she didn't mind company, but usually they found her way of life… hard. It was for the best; she didn't want to drag people into danger—danger that she normally found herself in with her risky plans and ideas. She took a deep breath as she walked up to a man dressed in a Republic uniform. He was busy scrolling through his datapad when she approached him and he waited a few moments before he finally looked up at her.

He had light brown hair under his cap and a tanned skin tone. He seemed maybe a few years older than her and was definitely taller. She was short after all: a whole whopping 5"5 which wasn't that intimidating.

"Can I help you?" He looked at her with an eyebrow raised and a slightly annoyed expression. His green eyes waiting for her to answer. What? Was she late?

"Ensign Samira Noval Alda, sir." He didn't move.

"And? What is it you want from me, Ensign?" She fidgeted as he returned to his datapad.

"Well…. I—I wasn't sure where I'm meant to go…I thought…" She stammered. She wasn't used to reporting in to someone. He rolled his eyes before gesturing over to his right. She glanced over where an uptight woman dressed in a different uniform stood by the loading gate.

"That's who you want." She looked at him as her cheeks turned a bright red.

"I-I'm so sorry, I thought you were—"She was such an idiot! What was she thinking? Of course, she thought it would be simple—just ask someone and they would obviously have her papers. She placed her face in her hands and he chuckled before putting his pad down to see her embarrassed.

"Hey, calm down. You're that new transfer right?" She pulled her hands down and nodded slowly as he held out his hand."I can already tell you're going to be quite the character." She shook it with a small smile.

"To be honest, it's a sudden change for me. Not used to this sort of deal." He nodded with a small smile still in place as he crossed her arms.

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't worry about it too much. If you do your job just right, you won't have any quarrels on board." She nodded. "The names Devron Uhdea and I just so happen to be your flight officer…. So I suppose in a matter of speaking, you came to the right person." She tried to form words but seemed to be having difficulties.

"It's nice to meet you sir." He smiled again.

"Now go get your papers, Ensign Alda, I'll see you on the flight deck." She nodded nervously before rushing off to the woman by the boarding gate. When she looked up at Samirah, she frowned.

"Name?"

"Ensign Samirah Noval Alda, ma'am." She scrolled through her roster before reaching for some papers and handing them to her with a look of superiority.

"You're late, Ensign." Samirah started to speak but she interrupted her. "Find your bunk and get settled in. Did you at least attend the debriefing?" Samirah nodded and the woman made a small snort. "At least you've done something right…" She mumbled. Samirah didn't really like her tone but hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with it.

With her papers in hand, she walked up the boarding ramp, swallowing hard as she did so. When she boarded, she saw plenty of people rushing by trying to get their separate tasks down before the _Endar Spire_ left port. To be quite honest, Samirah didn't even know why she was on board. She had half a mind to just turn around right now and hope they didn't notice her absence. The sound of someone clearing their throat surprised her.

She spun around to see a woman in pinkish robes standing behind her. She looked pointedly down at Samirah, waiting for her to move. Samirah quietly stepped aside, quietly apologizing as she saw several others follow her onboard and she noted how they all had lightsabers—they were Jedi.

She sighed, figuring it was too late to abort mission and jump ship. Though, she did wonder how long it would take them to find her in space—she did know an awful lot of planets.

She stared down at her papers as she walked down the corridors of the ship, trying very hard not to bump into any of the other passengers. After following the directions to the best of her ability and ending up nowhere, she decided to forget the paper and find it herself—she was, after all a scout and had to rely on her herself to find what she needed.

She traveled further and further down until she rounded a corner and had to do some quick dodging to avoid running straight into someone. She quickly mumbled her apology as they stared at her like a nuisance before rushing off again.

"…sorry…" She mumbled again. She already didn't like it here. "If this is how it's going to be I'm might go stir crazy… maybe even revolt had I the malicious intent needed… but no, I had to be born with a conscience… never thought I'd regret having one…" She sighed.

"Do you normally talk to yourself?" She turned to see a brown haired man standing behind her with signs of a small beard around his chin—yet somehow, _beard_ didn't fit since it wasn't a beard… but like some fuzz. She placed a finger on her lips as she thought about it, trying not to laugh at her own thoughts.

"Well… do you want the truth or a lie?" he chuckled. He was in a burnt orange like jacket that she actually kind of liked even though orange wasn't exactly one of her favorite colors.

"Surprise me." She smiled before crossing her arms.

"Then yes, all the time. Keeps a person sane to act partly insane." He laughed and she automatically liked this guy. He didn't seem so bad.

"Now how do you know if you're not just insane, acting sane." He raised an eyebrow and she couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Now that is the real trick, isn't it?" He smiled, slowly nodding his head in response. She hoisted her bag again just for measure before glancing down at her instructions, back tracking in her mind. He watched her do so and wondered why she was furrowing her brow. Finally she looked up at him, biting the side of her lip.

"You… wouldn't happen to know where I am, by any chance? I'm not used to ships this size. My ship? Sure, I could move through it with my eyes blindfolded, my arms tied behind my back, my legs restricted and gagged while flying through a—you know, never mind." Her face turned pink again as she laughed, a little embarrassed. She tended to ramble sometimes, especially when she felt nervous.

She had started to walk away when he laughed.

"Hey, hold on. Where is it you need to go? You're currently on your way to the bridge." She stared at him before looking back at the paper, a little confused. Then it hit her.

"And that explains why I am so _far_ off target… well, great galactic core, this just gets better and better." She laughed to herself.

"Well, you aren't that far off. You see, just go back down the hall and take a left. Then make a right four doors down and you'll—"She started laughing and he looked a little confused.

"Hey, don't worry, I'll find it. I'm sure I'm keeping you from something important too, so it was nice to meet you sir. Thanks for having me aboard." She smiled before she turned and rushed off, leaving him with a smile and a chuckle.

After about twenty minutes of running around, hopping around people and dodging close calls of being trampled over, she made it to her room and collapsed on the bed. She dropped her duffel bag on the floor and rolled over to look at the ceiling.

"Well, Samirah, it seems you're on your way to a new adventure but I doubt it will be like the first ones…" She frowned to herself before it turned into a smile and then a laugh.

She was on a huge ship and if it wasn't for the uptight people, it would feel like a luxury ship with room to move—even with the soldier boys and flyboys, she still felt like she had room to spare. She looked over at the empty bed beside her. So, she had a bunkmate.

She wasn't sure what that would be like but she would just cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she was going to unpack and go to sleep. She did just get back from the Adega system and that wasn't exactly an easy flight and she had wanted to stay on Ossus a bit longer, not that there was much to see anymore—only the ruins that were scattered throughout the planet.

While in deep thought, she slowly began to fall asleep, her eyes falling heavily as she lay against her pillow. She didn't have to report on duty until a little later so she let her exhaustion take over as she slipped out of reality, unaware of just what kind of adventure was about to take place.

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**Please review and let me know what you think, you're thoughts are very important to me. I'm open to any ideas or just random thoughts!**

**Thank you!**

**-SilverShards(SS)**


	2. Chapter 1: Debt

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or the Star Wars universe... though it would be cool, i simply don't... unless they want to share it with me then i am happy to accept!**

**Thank for continuing to read my story and I hope to hear what you think of this Chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

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**Debt**

Samirah was showering after her shift. She hadn't even seen her bunk mate as he left for his night shift on deck. She was exhausted after yet another uneventful shift. She shut off the water flow and began to dry off her long brunette hair as it fell in waves, almost curls, down her back. She dressed in her night attire, a basic brown half shirt that fit nicely and brown shorts that also fit her snuggly. She threw her stuff in the corner of the room before plumping down on the bed.

Aboard the _Endar Spire,_ not much had happened. She met a couple of other recruits who were friendly and just as bored as she was. Their duty was the same: to help escort Bastila Shan, a Jedi, to her destination. No one was too thrilled about the job since Bastila seemed to have this haughty air about her—at least, that's what she was told. Her flight captain, Devron Uhdea, was as pleasant as ever. He was patient with her and seemed to have this light atmosphere around him. He was one of the things she looked forward to when she had to attend to her duties.

He was laid back and always had some light joke to toss around, never failing to lighten the stressful mood everyone seemed to be in. He was a friend she never thought she'd ever have… even if he was a superior officer.

Samirah pulled the thin sheets over her as she slid into bed.

She flicked the light switch by her bed as she tried to let the exhaustion overwhelm her and it wasn't that hard to do. She had fallen asleep in no time, dreaming about her adventures as a Scout before this little escapade.

Samirah hadn't been asleep for very long when the ship lurched and shook violently. She briefly opened her eyes, frowning. _What was the pilot doing? Going through an asteroid field? Or did our pilot just happen to buy his license from a Drunken Mynock School of Instruction?_

She closed her eyes when it shook again and she was tossed from her bed, smacking her head against the hard floor. She cursed quietly to herself as she sat up and rubbed the tender spot. When the alarms started to sound, she stood cautiously and began to walk toward the locker she kept all of her things. She stumbled when the ship lurched once more and she fell against her locker, cursing loudly.

Who was flying this ship anyway?

She was pulling her uniform on when the doors to her room slid open. She whirled around to see her bunkmate run in. He seemed a bit relieved to see her even though she was having a hard time remembering his name. He wore his military uniform and had short blonde hair along with a blaster in his hand.

"Good. You're already up." She smiled as she pulled on her other boot. The ship shook again from impact and she hobbled, but caught herself against the locker.

"Kind of hard to sleep through this, isn't it?" His mouth tugged in the corners before he looked seriously at her. Guess this wasn't a drill.

"We've been ambushed by a Sith Battle Fleet. The _Endar Spire _is under attack so we need to hurry, time is limited for us.

" Umm… I'm sorry, but your name was…?"

"My name is Trask Ulgo, an ensign with the Republic Fleet. We don't see much of each other so I don't blame you for not remembering. Though, if I'm correct, you're name is Samirah Alda? Right?" She looked up and smiled meekly at him.

"Guilty as—"another blast caused the ship to jerk around knocking Samirah off her feet and across the floor, sliding into a wall. Trask had braced himself against the end of her bed. He then quickly helped her up as she winced from the sudden impact. "—charged…"

"Are you alright?" She nodded as she rubbed her head again. "I've heard about you from everyone onboard. You've explored the farthest reaches of the galaxy and you've visited planets I've never even heard of. If we had more time I would praise you a little more but we have to find Bastila"

"Bastila's the Jedi that we're escorting, right?"Samirah had strapped on her blaster and vibroblade and tightened anything else that seemed out of place as they moved out of the room. He gave her a strange look before continuing.

"Not just a Jedi but the commander—well , not really a commander but she's in charge of this mission and we have to protect her. We need to make sure she's safe." As they headed to the door, he attempted to open it and only cursed. "Damn!"

"What's wrong?" He turned to the console and began to punch a few buttons before a serious of numbers.

"Because of the attack, the rooms in lockdown but luckily I have the override codes to get us out of here." He pressed one final button before the doors opened. The hallway was a wreck and a maintenance droid was attempting to fix a door. She could tell it was all in vain. Their communicators flashed on as a voice came through, talking to them. In the distance was the sound of someone typing away at a console.

_"This is Carth Onasi—the Sith are threatening to overrun our position! We can't hold out long against their firepower! All hands to the bridge!"_ As soon as the voice came it was gone and she tried to place where she had heard that voice.

"Who was—"But Trask was a step ahead.

"That was Carth. He's one of the Republic's best pilots and has seen more combat than us all put together. If he says things are bad… well we should just take his word for it."

She bit her bottom lip when she realized he was the one she had accused of _flying us through an asteroid field and getting his license from a Mynock School of Instruction..._ _Oops. I'll just mentally apologize now._

"No argument there." She finally said

When they attempted to open the next door, Trask cursed before he knelt down and began splicing the door open. She couldn't help the remark that rolled off her tongue as she smiled down at him. "So, I suppose you don't have the codes for this door then?" His mouth twitched into a smirk.

"Hey now, you can't expect me to do all the work here. I don't see you pulling any door codes or keys out." She laughed softly, a sound that he found refreshing.

"Fair enough, Trask." When the door opened they dashed out into the fray where republic soldiers had already begun to fight Sith that had boarded. Without any hesitation, Samirah pulled out her vibroblade and jumped in as Trask shot from behind. They didn't miss a beat as they joined the fight. When they killed the Sith, Trask knelt next to the bodies before shaking his head.

"They didn't make it… and I have a feeling that won't be our last battle with the Sith." She nodded.

"If they've made it onboard, countless others have too." He nodded in agreement. "Come on, we have a Jedi to find, don't we?" She kept her hand wrapped tightly around the blade, prepared to attack anyone she came across.

"You're right." He jumped up and ran down the hallway followed by Samirah. They encountered several other Sith and Republic soldier battles and neither one of them hesitated to jump in again and most of the time, they were too late to even attempt to save their allies. Trask was impressed how skilled she was even though she wasn't a soldier, but a scout. A very impressive and well trained scout.

Samirah didn't waste time attacking the Sith. Her goal was to prevent her allies from dying and she felt more and more helpless as each ally fell. The ones she had saved had already been mortally wounded by an explosion or attack and their time was limited. In the end, she had failed again. Trask would urge her to keep moving, as would the soldiers. Their priority was Bastila. Samirah prayed this woman was worth these lives.

As they pressed on, she recognized the sound of lightsabers clashing behind a door. She quickly opened the door and was met by the intense battle between a Jedi and a Dark Jedi. She started to rush in to help when Trask caught her arm and pulled her back.

"This battle's too much for us. We'd only get in the way, Samirah. Stay back here… we're going to have to wait this one out." Samirah gripped the hilt of her blade so tightly it hurt. She did so to prevent her hands from shaking.

She didn't want to wait, she wanted to help. She wanted to be able to save someone and by standing on the sidelines, she could do nothing more than wait. Trask seemed to notice how on edge she was as he placed a hand on her shoulder for encouragement. She jumped slightly before a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

He was right. This fight was too much for them.

The battle carried on and the woman seemed to be winning, Samirah could tell that. When she was finally able to make the final blow, the Dark Jedi lay crumpled on the floor. The Jedi retracted her lightsaber and released a deep breath. Samirah had started to move closer to the Jedi when an explosion erupted behind the woman. She screamed as she was thrusted forward from the blast and Samirah threw her arms in front of her face instinctively.

When she removed her arms, she saw the Jedi lying motionless beside the Dark Jedi. Samirah ran forward before falling beside the Jedi and checking for her vitals, anything that could prove she was alive. Trask hurried beside her but it was evident that the Jedi hadn't survived.

"Damn! We could have used her help… damn it!"

"No, there has to be something we can do! Trask, we just can't—"He grabbed her arm and pulled her away quickly, yanking her roughly as he pulled out his blaster and shot at two Sith that rounded the corner. Trask moved her behind him as he shot and killed one.

"There's nothing more we can do, Samirah. She was doing her duty to protect Bastila, now we need to do ours." Samirah nodded mechanically before she gripped her vibroblade and dashed out from behind Trask. Without a second to lose, she brought it down roughly on the Sith soldier who blocked their path. He hadn't expected her to dart at him so he was fairly easy to bring down.

When he fell, she turned to Trask with a small smile.

"I understand. And you can call me… Sami if you'd like." He nodded with a smile before they ran out again.

They finally came to the door that led to the bridge of the _Endar Spire. _They glanced at one another before nodding. Trask opened the door as they were greeted by several Sith soldiers who all turned in their direction.

Without sparing another moment, Samirah threw a grenade out into the middle of the group as Trask began picking off the Sith on the corners. The grenade exploded knocking several over and either killed them or knocked them unconscious. Samirah didn't even stop to check, she moved on to the ones who were still standing and were taking aim. She ducked and dodged them as they shot before she leapt up and over a computer, swinging her blade across a soldier. As he fell, she spun on the ones to her side, knocking one over with a swift kick and killing the other as she sliced him with her blade.

She pulled her blaster from its holster and killed the soldier she had knocked over before aiming her gun on the sole remaining Sith with Trask in his sights. She shot. He fell over as Trask spun around to see the Sith in the corner. He looked at her and smiled with relief.

"Thanks I owe you one." She holstered her gun with a smile.

"As far as I can tell, I repaid my debt. You helped me up to this point. You didn't have to come back and get me out of there. You could have just as easily left me and escaped on your own, but you didn't. I count that as saving my life." He nodded at her with a smile.

She was something else. He had never even thought about it. All he knew, was that she was supposed to be asleep and he wanted to get as many people as he could off the ship. Being asleep, she would have woken up confused… or not at all. He was beginning to like this girl and found it a shame that they hadn't really met before now. She would have been fun to hang around.

"I appreciate it… Sami." She smiled wholeheartedly before they checked the Sith bodies and began to move on. "Come on, Bastila isn't here so I can only assume she's already escaped in the escape pods. That's where we need to go too and fast. They want Bastila alive so if they realize she's escaped already… well then there's nothing stopping them from blasting the _Endar Spire_ into galactic dust!"

"For some reason, the idea of being galactic dust isn't really all the appealing... let's go!" Samirah hurried around the bridge to the other side.

They opened up the door into another hallway and as Samirah began to step forward, Trask threw his arm out to stop her. She glanced at him curiously as she followed his focused gaze. He stared at one of the unopened doors. She wasn't exactly familiar with the ship so she wasn't sure if that was the direction they needed to go. When she started to move again he pushed her back, his arm remaining firm.

"Sami…" He stepped past her as he approached the door. She didn't like his sudden seriousness.

"Trask, what's—"

"—Something's behind this door…" He opened the door and on the other side stood a Dark Jedi swinging a duel Lightsaber. Samirah gasped knowing full well that they didn't have the means to battle him. Even together, she was willing to bet they couldn't take him on.

"Damn!" She glanced at Trask as he readied his weapon. She readied hers as well, going through every possible scenario in her mind, trying to find a way to win. "Another Dark Jedi… Sami—"

"I know, we don't stand much of a chance but we'll find a way, I'm sure of it." When he laughed softly she felt uneasy. "Trask?"

"Sorry, Sami. Looks like this is where we part ways." She didn't catch his meaning… or she didn't want to. "I'll try to hold him off while you get to the escape pods. With both of us fighting him, we won't stand a chance so I'll buy as much time as possible. Now GO!" He shouted as he dropped his bag next to her and darted past her and into the small room where the Dark Jedi smirked.

Trask quickly closed the door behind him before she could stop him and with one last fleeting look in her direction, he smiled.

"Good luck, Samirah." The doors closed and she rushed to the door, trying to open it. It was locked.

"NO! Trask! TRASK! Open the door, we can beat him together! Trask, don't do this!" She screamed as she heard explosions erupt around her and inside the room. He didn't answer and she knew that the decision had already been made. She pounded one last time as hot tears formed.

"Why are you giving me a debt… that I can never repay…" She whispered.

With that she pushed herself from the door, grabbed his satchel and ran down the hallway, tears stinging her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was going the right way but she had to get off the ship. She wasn't going to let Trask die in vain. She would escape and find a way to repay the debt and right now… that meant escaping.

As she stepped through one of the many doors a voice spoke up and she immediately held her weapon up, ready to fight.

"_This is Carth Onasi on your personal communicator. I'm tracking you through the Endar Spire's life-support system. Bastila's escape pod is away—you're the last surviving crew member of the Endar Spire!"_

When she heard him say _last surviving member_ she felt a pain in her chest. Trask had already fallen. He was a good soldier and friend she had wished she could keep… and he died saving her. Carth kept talking, unaware of her pain.

"_I can't wait for you much longer; you have to get to the escape pods!" _The link ended and she hurried down the hall, praying she was going the right way.

When she came across Sith soldiers, she didn't even falter in her steps. Her anger flared and she leapt at them, not caring if a blaster nicked her shoulder or her leg but only cared if she could kill them. Trask didn't deserve to die. It should have been her that had been killed. If he hadn't come back for her… he would have survived and she would be the one dead. At least, that's what she told herself.

When the Sith were dead, she had only suffered a few wounds, none serious enough to halt her progress to the escape pods. When she had cleared a room of Sith, she came to a terminal by the door just as Carth appeared on the screen. She had just been about to open the door when his voice stopped her.

"_Be careful! There's a whole squad of Sith Troopers on the other side of that door. You need to find a way to thin their numbers."_ Why would she want to do that? She wanted to just release all of her anger out on them. Carth continued. _"You could reprogram the damaged assault droid to help you, if you have enough repair parts. Or you could use computer spikes to slice into the terminal and use the Endar Spire's security systems against the Sith."_ She frowned.

"Where in the galaxy am I going to find—hold on." She pulled Trask's satchel around and opened the flap to find computer spikes inside. She laughed sadly as she pulled them out. "… I guess that's another debt I owe you then, huh." Carth raised an eyebrow at her as she began to use them on the computer terminal.

She began typing away until a satisfied smile crept up on her face. She pressed the final key before switching the terminal over to the video camera. One of the electrical pipes began to sizzle before electricity jumped out from the small console on top. It snaked out so quickly and grasped each Sith trooper that they didn't know what happened. They yelled and panicked for the briefest of moments until they fell and lay motionless.

Carth watched as Samirah's face fell like she didn't feel proud of herself. If it wasn't for the fact that there was a time constraint, he would have complemented her but now they needed to go. When he started to open his mouth she snapped out of it, switched off the terminal and hurried through the room.

When she opened the door Carth glanced at her, relieved.

"You've made it just in time! There's only one active escape pod left. Come on, we can hide out on the planet below!" A little wearily she glanced at him, her weapon still in hand.

"How do I know I can trust you…?" He sighed.

"I'm a soldier with the Republic, like you. We're the last two crew members left on the _Endar Spire. _Bastila's escape pod's already gone, so there's no reason for us to stick around here and get shot by the Sith. Now, come on—There'll be time for questions later!" She nodded and as if for emphasis, an explosion caused the ship to lurch again ramming her into the wall. She cursed as she pulled away, noting how serious the wound on her arm had become.

Carth was punching away at the computer so he hadn't noticed her wounds. She hurried over to the escape pod and climbed in, strapping herself in. When Carth had finished he climbed in, strapped himself in and finished the detaching sequence. When the hatch closed, he pressed the _Detach_ button and they dropped. She braced herself as they fell, Carth focusing on making sure they were still alive when they landed.

"Come on… we need to be clear of the ship or—"Carth's speech was interrupted by a large explosion.

As they fell, the Ship exploded and folded in on itself. They hadn't realized how close they were to not making it at all. Carth cursed to himself as the wave from the explosion hit the escape pod, shaking it in every which direction. Samirah braced herself as much as she could while Carth did the same, trying hard to keep focused on the computer in front of them. As they entered the atmosphere, it got worse. The ship continued to shake and jerk about.

Carth glanced over at Samirah to find her squeezing her eyes shut and gripping the straps so hard, her knuckles had turned white. He turned his attention back to the computer trying to keep everything as positive as possible. When they were close to impact, he braced himself for the hit.

They slammed into the ground so hard; he wondered how his neck remained intact. Samirah's head had slammed so hard into the side of the ship that she fell unconscious with all of her hair falling forward, covering her face. After a few minutes, Carth had finally gotten oriented again as he unstrapped himself from the seat.

"Ok, we need to get out of here quickly before—"When he turned to continue speaking to her, he cursed again. She was motionless in her seat. He reached over and struggled to unbuckle her from her seat. When he finally did, he checked her pulse just to be sure she was alright before he opened the hatch. He thanked the stars that it was night as he checked for any signs of life moving in the darkness. He pulled out everything that they could use before pulling her out and carrying her on his back.

He moved as fast as he could until he found himself at the doors to an apartment complex. He entered cautiously, hoping that he and the girl on his back looked like two people who had a little too much to drink. Luckily, luck was on his side as he realized the apartments had no humans whatsoever. If you could call that lucky. Though, the alien residents seemed to keep to themselves, not caring who passed them by. They seemed happier if they were ignored all together, so Carth tried to avoid any eye contact. That suited him just as well.

He found a vacant apartment and found it easy to splice the door before entering and locking it again. He found the bed and gingerly placed her on it and removed her weapons, laying her vibroblade against the bed. He finally noticed all the blaster wounds that darted her body and wondered how he could have missed them earlier. He also saw the small trickle of blood from where her head had slammed into the side of the pod. He frowned as he pulled out a med pack and began to administer treatment to her wounds. He cleaned and wrapped her wounds trying his best to be gentle. He had expected a serene and calm look on her face—isn't that usually what you look like when you're unconscious?—but instead she only winced and thrashed about like she wasn't only in physical pain, but mental pain too.

Carth felt her forehead and when she didn't have a fever he had to settle with the idea that she was just having a horrible nightmare. A few times she would jerk away from him and jolt up from bed with her eyes open but she wouldn't really be seeing anything before she would fall unconscious again. He'd try to catch her before her head could hit the headboard or anything else in the way.

When he had her bandaged, he would venture out as far as he dared to inspect the place and even went as far as to get a glimpse at the crash site. As he thought, the Sith had already overrun the pod and had searched it thoroughly.

He sat at the table as she would occasionally thrash about, sometimes mumbling incoherently and that caused him a great deal of concern. On the third day, he was worried that the impact was too much for her and that she just wouldn't wake up. He paced several times, wanting to go outside but afraid to leave her alone for too long. He would venture out but he wouldn't be gone for too long before quickly returning only to find that she was still unconscious.

What if she woke up while he was gone? How confused would she be if she woke up alone, on an unknown planet and in a place she had no recollection of being in? He only gathered a little information and supplies from nearby before he'd come back in a hurry, hoping to find some signs of life from her. Each time… nothing.

Samirah moved her head as her mind tried to clear itself. She had had the weirdest dream and she wasn't sure what it meant. It looked like a Jedi fighting… someone… she wasn't exactly sure. It was still kind of fuzzy. It took her a few more moments to realize that she was lying down on a bed and then she jumped straight to one conclusion—the Sith.

Had she been caught? How long had she been here? Damn it, what had she missed?

She opened her eyes slightly as she became more focused. She didn't want to wait around for them and she certainly wanted them to pay for murdering Trask. She figured she had a window span of about 10 seconds of surprise and she was going to use it.

She opened her eyes, swinging her legs around so that she could stand and felt relieved that the Sith were foolish enough to leave her vibroblade beside her. She quickly grabbed her sword and turned to kill any Sith in the room… well, the _only_ Sith in the room. Maybe it wasn't the Sith then… maybe it was some scoundrel who happened to find her. She hoped it wasn't one with a grudge... that incident on Nar Shaddaa wasn't her fault, honest. As he spun around at the clattering of the sword, his face registered somewhere in the depths of her mind but she wasn't quite sure… where.

"Whoa… calm down there for a moment, would you?"

Carth held his hands up defensively, clearly seeing the dazed and confused look she was giving him. She faltered slightly before the blade clattered to the floor and she fell back against the bed. He could tell she was completely drained. She looked up at him, completely tired and hesitant. She seemed a little worried and… ready to bolt for the door when the time came. After a few moments, she spoke softly and he almost couldn't hear her.

"The… pilot…?" He nodded slowly as she relaxed a little more.

Not completely, but enough that relief had washed over him. He didn't realize how tense he had become. He grabbed some water and offered it to her, which she accepted graciously. When he was sure she had settled down, he sat in a chair across from her and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Thank the stars… it's good to finally see you up… instead of thrashing about in your sleep…" He rubbed his face as he tried to calm down all the worry that had unknowingly built up. "You must have been having one _hell_ of a nightmare. You had me worried for a while there, I was... wondering if you were ever going to wake up…" He said that last bit softly as he rubbed his eyes. How did he get so tired?

She looked at her bottle as she fiddled with the cap, unsure how to respond. She didn't mean to worry him and felt guilty. She didn't want to meet his eyes so she focused on the cap that she flipped between her fingers.

"I'm Carth, a Republic Soldier from the _Endar Spire."_ She flinched at the name of the ship. The ship that carried Trask to whatever oblivion awaited him. "I was with you in the escape pod… do you remember?"

She waited a moment before finally looking up at him meekly. He was watching her with concern and she had to swallow a few times to get her voice to work. She was grateful that he was patient enough to wait.

"Carth… the one from the communicator on the ship. You waited for me... I remember." Her voice trembled slightly as she tried not to remember how Trask praised Carth. She hardly knew Trask and yet he risked his life to save hers… and then lost it, saving hers again.

Carth nodded to her response, noting the sad expression she wore. He continued, in a low voice.

"You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for days now so I can only imagine that you're pretty confused right now. Try not to worry too much, we're safe… for the moment. We're currently in an abandoned apartment on a planet called Taris. You were banged up pretty badly in the crash but luckily I wasn't. I was able to get you out of there and into this apartment." She bit her lip.

Again, she was helpless to do anything and the idea of having to be saved again picked at the back of her mind. Was this the life she was doomed too? To be saved and never to save?

"I…" When she started to speak, Carth's head snapped up to look at her. She still fiddled with the bottle but finally met his eyes and he was caught in her sincere but sad chocolate brown eyes. "I guess… I owe you my life… and my thanks. You didn't have to save me. By saving me, the chances of you being caught increased. You could have just as easily left me there and saved yourself... it would have been easier for you…" She again thought back to Trask, cursing herself for her uselessness.

"Hey… there's no need to thank me. I've never abandoned anyone on a mission and I'm sure as hell not about to start now. Even if it means, risking my life. Who am I to say that your life isn't worth saving? I didn't even think about the chance of us being caught, I just wanted to get you out of there." He smiled at her, trying to prove it to her.

Sure he had thought about it as he carried her, but not when he was un-strapping her. No, he wouldn't have left her there. The very idea didn't even sit right with him. Though, now that he thought about it… there was another reason he saved her, but it wasn't like it was the _only_ reason he saved her.

"I'm also going to kind of need your help getting out of here." Her head snapped up at the sound of the word _help _and she suddenly felt wide awake_. _Sleeping could wait until later. He thought she could be of some use?

He rubbed his face again as he felt the weight of his next words. "Taris is under Sith control, their fleet is orbiting the plant, they've declared martial law and they've imposed a planet wide quarantine." He looked up at her again with a smirk. "But I've been in worse spots."

Samirah couldn't help the smile that twitched in the corners of her mouth. He was trying to lighten the atmosphere and the weight of the work that would ensue.

"I've read your service records and saw that you understand a remarkable number of alien languages. That's pretty rare in a raw recruit." She shot him a small smile and shrugged slightly.

"What can I say; you pick up on a few things." He smiled.

"Well, it should come in handy while we're stranded on the foreign planet. The Republic isn't going to be able to send anyone in through the blockade to help… so we're not really going to receive any help. If we're going to find Bastila, we're going to have to do so, on our own. I have an idea as to where she is. I scouted for a bit while you were out, but all I got was that a couple of escape pods crashed in a place called the _Undercity._" He rubbed his face again as exhaustion overwhelmed him.

"Bastila… why is she so important?" Samirah found herself asking. His head snapped up to look her in the eye to see if she was serious. Apparently she was.

Samirah only knew most of what Trask had told her. That she was a Jedi and the leader of the mission but other than that, she didn't know much. Being a Scout, she didn't stay current with news and was more focused on reaching her destinations on the rims of the galaxy, exploring as much as she could and helping whenever the opportunity would arise.

"Guess that smack did more damage than I thought…" He mumbled. "Bastila's a Jedi." He saw the frown from Samirah and he paused. "What?"

"I've already gathered that she was a Jedi… I'm not _that_ far out of the loop." She spoke softly trying not to sound offending.

"Alright, so you remember that much. She was also with the strike force that killed Revan, Malak's Sith master. She's the key to the Republic's war effort and the Sith want her." He stood up from his chair to walk around, to give him something to do. His eyelids were feeling heavy so he needed to wake himself up.

"So that's why they attacked the _Endar Spire?"_ He looked at her as she squeezed her bottle. "That's why the ship was… was destroyed and everyone inside—"

"—Not everyone died." He finished for her. "We lived, and I'm sure Bastila did too. I'm sure of it. I'm sure she was on one of the escape pods that crash landed here. If the Sith can get rid of her it'll cripple our war efforts. For the sake of the war effort, we have to find her."

"She sounds… so important. One person can be so important…"

"Well, she's not exactly an ordinary Jedi. She has this rare ability they call _Battle Meditation. _That power… _her_ power can influence entire armies. With that power and through the force she can inspire her allies with confidence and make her enemies lose the will to fight but at a cost. You see, from what I've heard, it takes a lot of concentration. These powers the Jedi can wield are… unfathomable. They even say the force can wipe away memories and reprogram new identities."

"I can only imagine." Samirah whispered. She hadn't realized that Bastila was the woman who held the war on her soldiers. No wonder everyone admired her. Samirah suddenly thought that Bastila would be this awesome symbol of hope for the Republic. "She sounds… so unreal." Carth nodded at her as he rubbed his eyes again, this time Samirah watched him.

"You're tired…" She said it with shock. "… You haven't slept at all… have you?" Carth looked at her and shook his head.

"With you out, I didn't trust myself to fall asleep. What would of happened had the Sith discovered our position? I've hardly slept a wink." He sat down again, trying to keep himself awake. Samirah shakily stood up from the bed and made sure she had the use of her legs before moving away.

"Hey, should you be moving?"Carth questioned, a little uneasy. She nodded while she took a few steps to make sure she was good to go before walking up to him.

Carth watched her curiously before she grabbed his arm and pulled him from the chair.

"What are you—"But with no strength left, he allowed her to pull him up and when she moved him to the bed, he became a little more cautious. "No. I'm not going to sleep. Not happening."

"Why not? You're obviously exhausted and I feel guilty enough as it is. Come on, I'll keep watch." He sat on the bed but looked at her, still refusing to go to sleep.

"Look, its… well, it's not that I don't trust you but… I mean I hardly know you." Carth wasn't going to trust anyone so easily. She held her hand out to him and he stared at it, unsure what she wanted from him.

"My name is Samirah Alda a Republic Soldier who, like you, was on board the _Endar Spire._ I want to help, Carth and right now, by letting you sleep while I watch out for us, that seems like the best idea to me." She smiled down at him and he frowned.

"Forgive me if I'm not so obliging but—"Her face fell and she looked pleadingly at him.

"Please… let me be of some use. I want… I want to be useful and I want to be able to do something to help you. So please, let me do this… even if it isn't much, I swear that everything will be fine." Her hand faltered for a bit but she still held it out for him. He took a deep breath. "If anything else, do it for Bastila. You won't be able to do much half dead." That seemed to be the deal closer. He grasped her hand and shook it

She immediately brightened up. He kept his boots on but opted to take his jacket off. As he lay down, he looked over at Samirah as she grabbed her vibroblade and placed it on her back and her blasters around her waist. She glanced over at him as his eyes got heavier and heavier. She pulled a blanket over him and he silently thanked her before he was out.

Samirah smiled to herself as his eyes closed and he fell right to sleep. She was going to go get information. She would be as helpful as she could without risking his life. She wouldn't be gone long, but just out to get as much information as she could. She slid on the bag that Trask had left her before she looked in a mirror. The bandage around her forehead would probably draw too much attention so she unraveled it carefully to see the small cut on the side.

It wasn't enough to draw a whole lot of attention and it didn't really look _that _bad. A few days and it would be all healed up.

Before she left, she glanced at the door and frowned. If Carth was able to slice into the apartment easily, then who knows who could do so too; she knelt down by the door and began to tinker around with electronics of it. She chewed her bottom lip as she worked, moving this wire there and that one here and then rearranging these components. When she was done, she had an encrypted code that only she knew and the security system had been improved.

Proud and satisfied with her work, she locked the door as she left, enabling the code. It was a method she had picked up in Kathol while trying to help out. A bunch of… underground revolutionaries had taught her different ways of slicing and rerouting things to fit her needs. Carth would be able to leave if he wanted too, but no one would get in without making enough racket for Carth to wake up and blast them. She smiled before turning around, ready to begin her hunt.

She would prove more useful to Carth than she had been to Trask and that was a goal she was going to make happen. She swore.

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**Please review and leave any comments, ideas, questions or even just bits of randomness. All is appreciated and it lets me know what people think and will encourage me to continue. Thank you guys for your time and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**-SilverShards(SS)**


	3. Chapter 2: Useful

**Disclaimer: I Do Not own KOTOR or any of the Characters**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you continue on. Let me know how i'm doing and keep me going strong! Your thoughts mean the world to me and I hope you give this story a chance! ^-^ I have wonderful plans for it!**

**Update: I have updated this chapter, tweaking it just a bit. It was being rushed so i tried to smooth it out just a tiny bit to make it run a bit better. Hopefully, i've accomplished it. I may come back and tweak this one a bit more since it was one of the harder chapters to write. (If you've played the game 101 million times... this part doesn't exactly become your favorite. Taris in general isn't a favorite. ^-^ But I promise good things!)**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

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**Useful**

When she turned around, she saw Sith standing in the hall and her first thought was: _Damn, we've been caught! _

She kept one hand on her blaster and quickly tried to think of ways to persuade them that she wasn't a Republic soldier if that's what they accused her of. It wasn't until she listened to them talk that she realized they weren't here to interrogate her and Carth, but a pair of Duros. It seemed to be a Sith Patrol. One was a human while the other two were droids that flanked him.

"Alright, you alien scum, this is a raid! Everyone against the wall!" The Sith leader yelled more delightfully than Samirah would have liked. One of the Duros spoke up to the man, complaining to him.

"**But there was a patrol just yesterday! Why can't you leave us alone? Can't you tell that we have nothing left to give?"**The Sith pulled out his blaster and shot the Alien several times, killing him where he stood. He fell against the floor and Samirah gasped.

"That's how we deal with smart mouthed aliens here…" He said triumphantly as he began to holster his weapon. "Now, everyone else, get up against the wall before I lose my temper again." He said it with anticipation, like he hoped someone would dare to defy him.

"That's enough! Aren't you ashamed of yourself!" he spun around to meet eyes with Samirah and suddenly, she realized she had spoken aloud. She had meant for that to be an inner thought…

"Excuse me, did you say some—hey! What's this? You're a human?" He seemed shocked at the very idea. "A human's hiding out with aliens?" Her hands were ready to reach for her weapons in the blink of an eye if that was what was required.

"Hiding out? What if I was simply just walking by?" His eyes widened with delight. He seemed to like the fact that she was defiant. After a few moments, it seemed the gears in his head began working like clockwork.

"Through an alien infested apartment? No, unlikely. She's a Republic Fugitive, why else hide out here?" She opened her mouth to respond but he didn't give her the chance. "Attack her, now!" She immediately slipped out her blaster and shot one droid, hitting an exposed circuit under his chin. He jerked before falling forward.

She leapt to the side as the other droid and the Sith man began to fire at her. She hid behind some storage units that sat in the hallway. When she heard the Sith man cry, she looked out to see the other Duros had brandished a vibroblade and attacked him. The Droid turned and that was her opportunity. She bolted out and as she charged at the Droid, she drew the vibroblade, jumped up and sliced as hard as she could. She decapitated the Droid and watched as he fell before helping the Duros finish off the Sith Man.

When he fell, the Duros held his side and kneeled by his friend.

"**Poor Ixgil… He should never have talked back. He knew better. Thankfully you jumped in and rescued us… well, me at least. It was too late for Ixgil. This isn't the first time the Sith have caused us trouble here but I hope it is the last."**

Samirah reached into her bag and found a med pack tucked away. She carefully removed it and handed it to the Duros who stared at her in surprise.

"**Human, are you sure? You may want to keep that to yourself, for your own wound."** She followed his gaze to where a mark had grazed her arm and she hadn't even noticed.

"You're wound is much more severe than my own. Please, it's the least I can do."

"**Human, you have already saved me and to give this to me… that is true kindness. I accept with gratitude."** He took the med pack from her and placed it in his own pocket. Before looking again at his friend and sighing.

"Won't someone come by looking for the missing patrol? It would seem odd for them not to report in." He nodded in agreement.

"**Do not worry, I will move them elsewhere. Make it look like they were killed in an accident elsewhere... or something. That should keep them away from us. Hopefully, they will not come back."** He looked at her again. **"Thank you, again, human."**

"My name is Samirah Alda… and it was my pleasure. I'm sorry I wasn't able to save him…" She nodded to Ixgil and the Duros frowned.

"**I am called Elek and it is alright… Samirah. He was the one who spoke knowing the risk."** He stood again and began moving the bodies, nodding once more in her direction. **"Good luck, Samirah Alda. If you are a Republic Soldier than you're secret is safe with me… all of us to be certain. We dislike the Sith and support you're cause."** With that he moved away with a body and she stood up.

There was something good that she could do. Since she couldn't pay it back to Trask, she would give it to people she met. She would help push back the Sith with whatever she had. She would give her all to help save the Republic.

She began walking around the apartments, trying to find a way out before a Twi'lek stepped in front of her with a smile. She hadn't gone very far and she was already being approached again. She stopped, cautious of him until he began to speak. We're they all this friendly or was she just that much of an anomaly?

"**Well, well, I don't see too many of your kind around here. Most Aliens here are Illegal and most humans who come here… well, its always the Sith. No other human would come here. Most despise us and so we are to hide ourselves. Oh, but excuse my rudeness. My name is Larrim, human."** She relaxed only slightly, still cautious. She was learning to never let her guard down.

"Pleased to meet you, Larrim. My name is Samirah Alda." He smiled and nodded his head.

"**It may not be my business, but you look like you may need an energy shield."** He glanced over to where the Duros named Elek moved the bodies of the Sith and his friend. She just smiled at him, catching what was left unsaid, still as cautious as ever. You never know whom you can trust.

"Thank you, but I will be fine." She moved so he couldn't get a glimpse at her small wound. Best not to give him incentive to persist. "You said illegal aliens…"

"**Ah yes, well, aliens are not permitted to live in the Upper city but some of us Twi'leks have been permitted up here, but no more. No self-respecting human would want to live here so the landlord has rented the apartments out illegally. The authorities have turned a blind eye here and when the Sith arrived, so did they."**

"Thank you for the information, it will definitely prove to be very helpful." He smiled and bowed his head slightly.

"**Of course, If you find yourself in need of something, feel free to ask—I have many sources and can get just about anything you may require."** They shook hands and she smiled graciously at him.

"Thank you and I just may take you up on that offer." With that she left him and found the elevator door after passing by an old man who had called himself the janitor. He seemed like a nice enough person who assumed she had rented out the abandoned apartment. Either he was very trusting or didn't care enough to pry. Either or worked just as well for her.

When she stepped into the sunlight, she was briefly blinded before she saw the city for what it was. Structures were stretched up so high, you had to look straight up just to see the tops that were closed like domes. Businesses, shops, homes, apartments—everything one could possibly need was somewhere in those buildings. She was willing to bet that Crime Lords were even mixed in with everyday occupations. In her time as a scout, she was always surprised at the locations she could find Crime Lords. She wasn't exactly out to get them or take them down—that was a hard task to accomplish on your own.

No, all she wanted was information and Crime Lords usually always had the 411 on every major event on the planet. The information never came cheap but she had ways of acquiring the credits. She wasn't a thief or a looter; she was merely resourceful and managed to get by. She wondered how many Crime lords were living on Taris? How many were well known and how many went to great pain to make sure they were nothing but a shadow—a fragment of Taris but with a lot of power.

She glanced all around at the scenery and the people that walked by, glancing cautiously at Sith patrols. Even Samirah froze for a split second before sliding into the crowd.

As a scout, she was accustomed to blending into to the society… well, as blended in as you could get when you were the only human… on an entirely foreign planet that her species hardly ever visited. Though, she could act like she belonged enough to avoid confrontations. She journeyed across the walkway, turning at random corners in hopes of finding something useful and found a weapons shop. The owner, Kebla Yurt, explained that she was the biggest shop in Upper Taris but had most of her heavy weapons confiscated by the Sith.

When Samirah found a Permacrete Detonator she couldn't help but smile. She had rigged up a few in the past and she thought that 50 credits wasn't a bad deal at all. She purchased the detonator figuring it would come in handy at some point and if not… hey, she had a detonator. If worse came to worse, she could use it as leverage. Kebla looked at her cautiously, almost like she wished she hadn't sold it to her.

Samirah had to reassure her she wasn't planning any attacks. She supposed that with all of the trouble the Sith brought, she didn't want to be responsible for selling a detonator that would have been used to disrupt the balance—if what they had going on was even considered such a thing. When she left, she glanced to her right and saw a Sith Trooper guarding a door. She went back to Kebla with a question on her mind. Might as well ask what she can, do some scouting since that's what she did.

"That Sith guard over there..." She pointed in his direction. "What's over there?" Kebla frowned at her like that was a very odd question to ask.

"Well, that's the cantina… you must be an offworlder if you don't know that much. The Sith guard it to avoid trouble with locals. They have soldiers who go there to… relax from duty so they don't want any trouble." Samirah nodded before turning to leave.

So nothing she needed to check right away. She posted it in the back of her mind with a note to go back and visit later. Sure there were possibly Sith soldiers relaxing there and common sense would tell you to stay away but Samirah wasn't going to pass up a chance to get information. She decided she was just going to go explore a bit more and see if there were any other possible spots of information. If she limited herself to that one space, she would be limiting her information. She wanted to return back to Carth with something to be proud of—she wanted to help and the more she brought back, the better off they were.

She kept walking down the walkway, trying to find a decent place for information. When she found an elevator leading somewhere else, she became overly excited. Below was what they called the Lower City and she was willing to bet that if anyone had information, they would be down there. It was the perfect place to go. When in need of a thug or a Crime Syndicate with Intel, always go to the darkest, slimiest, hell hole you could find and they would find you of their own accord. A life lesson, as far as Samirah was concerned.

When she saw the Sith Trooper, her enthusiasm plummeted. She froze for half a second until he looked at her.

"Hey, this elevator is off limits! Citizens aren't allowed into the Undercity without the proper authorization papers and you definitely don't even look like you belong down there, now move along!" She didn't hesitate before rushing off, briefly catching a glimpse of the Sith base a little ways from the elevator. She would have to stay clear from there until she and Carth could figure out what to do next.

Why would they guard an elevator? The idea piqued her curiosity. If there was one thing she learned—whenever you found a guarded door, there were secrets somewhere behind it. She was good at acquiring secrets. A feat she had to have in her line of work.

After weaving through the crowds, she somehow found herself at the medical facility. She glanced around, a little confused. She really didn't know where she was going and only hoped she could find her way back. She didn't really need a medical facility and she didn't think she would be able to find very much information here.

She backed up a little ready to leave when she bumped into someone.

"Oh! I'm so—"

"—Hey! Watch it! Can't you see I'm busy over here? What, you want something? Go talk to Zelka." She stumbled away from him, shocked at his outburst when a man walked up to her.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that. A little jumpy and cranky if you ask me." The man mused with a smile. "He means well, I'm sure." He had his hands shoved into his pockets as his eyes drifted from the assistant to Samirah with a quizzical expression.

"Now, was there something I could help you with? My name is Zelka Forn, I run this medical facility. I can treat almost any injury or ailment—except the rakghoul disease, of course." Samirah looked at him confused. He got right down to the point, didn't he?

"Rakghoul disease?" He nodded.

"A terrible affliction that has plagued Taris for many generations. Rakghouls are horrible monsters that live in the Undercity. Prolonged exposure and you yourself become a rakghoul. They become mindless beasts that feed on the flesh of others." He rubbed his forehead as he moved to his desk. She followed him, remaining standing as he sat in his chair, his shoulders slumping.

"Is there no way to cure it?" Her curiosity got the better of her.

"Cure? No. Though, the Republic scientist that were here before the Sith were perfecting a cure… but when the Sith arrived, they took over and kept it all to themselves. If I got my hands on that—that serum! I could possibly mass produce it…" He had begun to think out loud as he stared at his desk, his hand rubbing his chin in thought. The idea was there, but the means seemed impossible… for him at least.

From his tired eyes she could tell he had been working extremely hard. She glanced at his table and found paperwork scattered across the surface. Paper indicating his research—research that wasn't providing any results. Tests, theories, results, possible ideas, trials and errors—work that he was sifting through hoping to find some answer and from the look on his face and the bags under his eyes… it wasn't looking good. His only chance was if he got a hold of the serum the doctors had been researching. Samirah had a hard time ignoring this possible chance of helping someone.

"Maybe I could get it for you." She mused out loud. At some point, she was sure to run into someone carrying it or maybe she could just get her hands on it. She was a scout and knew how to sneak in and acquire something someone else needed. She never did it with bad intention or even to help those who did. She did it to save starving families, sick children, poor people and the like.

Zelka smiled but it was the hopeless kind of smile. The smile people gave when they liked the intentions but knew the idea was impossible. The smile she had seen on several different faces of several different species.

"I don't see how. The base is crawling with Sith and breaking in would be suicide."

She smirked and laughed quietly to herself. Yeah, she had been told that before too. Not that she ever listened… and she had more close calls then she could count but nonetheless she would figure something out.

"I have my means, so just leave the method to me."He glanced at her skeptically. He wasn't buying it, but he left it at that. He eyes finally rested on the blaster wound on her arm and he frowned.

"How long has that wound been there?" She looked at it before at him, unconcerned.

"Maybe an hour? Maybe more? I'm not exactly sure." He stood up, completely forgetting their earlier conversation as he grabbed his medical supplies and sat her down in a chair.

"It could get infected… here, let me treat you now." When she started to protest he cut her off. "No need to worry, it won't cost you anything. I just don't want to leave it untreated." She finally agreed and waited as he administered the ointment and then wrapped it with a clean cloth. He looked her over, seeing the bandages Carth had given her. "It seems you acquire a lot of wounds."

She froze as he spoke and tried to act nonchalant about it. He examined the bandages Carth had wrapped her in before he removed them and began to reapply some kolto to the wounds. She flinched a few times, but he finally had all of her wounds perfectly wrapped and secure. He even checked the cut on her head and adding a small bit of ointment to make sure it didn't become infected.

"Yes, well, I'm a bit clumsy. I also tend to stick my nose in where it probably doesn't belong." He nodded with a small smile.

"Why is it that I'm not the least bit surprised by that? I'd be careful if I were you then... that might prove to be more dangerous than you'd like around here." She thanked him for everything before she started to leave, thankful for what he had said. They exchanged pleasant goodbyes before she walked away with him shaking his head. What a funny girl.

He rarely was ever graced with such pleasant people. With the Sith roaming around, they could hardly sneeze without a gun pointed directed at their face. Their every move was under suspicion and to live their normal lives almost felt like a crime. Seeing her was like a breath of fresh air—a breath of hope in the seemingly bleak planet. He turned back to his desk, a grimace forming as he returned to his work—it was almost fruitless. He didn't have any other options so he had to work diligently in hopes that something would change. That maybe, just maybe, he'd figure out the riddle to this cure.

Samirah was walking out of the clinic, happy to have met such a nice man. Zelka seemed like a nice man and she wish he wasn't put in such a predicament. She was determined to help him to the best of her ability. As she approached the door, the rude man from before came closer. He leaned close to her, a hand on the side of his mouth.

"_Psst."_ She stared at him, not understanding until an annoyed expression crossed his face. "_PSST! That means come here!"_ she glared at him before approaching. "I heard you talking to Zelka about the Rakghoul serum. I've got an offer and you'll want to hear it." She frowned at him.

"Really? And what exactly do you mean by that? What makes you so sure I'll want to hear it?" He grinned.

"Well, Zelka isn't the only person looking for that Serum. Davik will pay much more than Zelka for it." She furrowed her browed as she tried to process the name.

"Who?"

He looked at her with a scrunched up face. Really? She had no idea? Surely she was joking.

"Oh come on, really? Davik Kang?"

"Davik Kang… I'm not recognizing the name… must not be that important." She tried to think as he gaped at her comment. She just said it in passing, not really paying attention to her words.

"Davik Kang's the big boss around here! Gambling, smuggling, extortion, you know. He's into it all."

"He's a crime lord!" She sounded utterly shocked and almost shouted. Well, she really should know his name and she frowned at the idea that he was so foreign to her. The man shushed her scrunching his face. He couldn't believe that she was so loud!

"I prefer to think of him as a role model. He had nothing but now he's got it all: Credits, power, women. The dream we all want to live. I would give anything to be in his place." The man leaned against the wall and sighed dreamily. He looked like a girl amidst a romance she had dreamed about all her life—except this guy's romance wasn't with _one_ woman, Samirah was sure.

"So he wants the cure? Well, I think I'll pass. Zelka's a good man and I trust him… as opposed to a crime lord? Well, I think we can tell who should win, hands down." That jerked him away from his dream only to glare at her.

"What? Come on, be smart about this, woman. If you find the serum, take it to Zax in the bounty office, ok? Just think about it, you'll earn more credits that way and everything will be just dandy." He smiled as he slinked away, whispering over his should.

"_Lots of credits or a brief thanks? I think it's clear."_ As he walked back to his desk, she spoke only to herself as she walked out.

"_Yes… I think so too…" _

She marched out of the medical bay, frowning at the sneaky little man she had just met. Not that he was the first of his 'kind' to ever approach her, she just didn't like dealing with them all the same. They only irritated her because they tried to undermine good men like Zelka. She was sure that Zelka only saw him as an assistant who wanted to learn to help people. In a matter of speaking, he did know how to help himself: He knew how to help people fill their greedy pockets, people like this Davik Kang.

Just the thought of that man made her annoyed. She walked slowly down the walkways, glancing around at the scenery. It had been a while since she had visited a city like Taris. At least freely and under no pretenses. Well, close enough at least. She still had to be careful as to not give herself away as a Republic Soldier. She was good at this type of thing: Scouting and Spying. She passed several shops and apartments, finding people preaching about some plague and others complaining about the quarantine. No one was happy here.

Okay, well maybe the Sith were but they didn't count. It wasn't their home.

After a few more turns, she finally found herself at the Cantina and she was grateful to just sit down. A bartender asked her what she wanted to drink and she simply requested water. She placed her head on the table as she suddenly felt tired. This was going to be harder than she had anticipated. How on earth was she supposed to do this? She had to be careful with the question she asked.

Most of the people she ran into only cared about the next credit they could earn. The quarantine was doing bad things to these people. With her luck, the information to finding Bastila would come at a hefty price. She crossed her arms over the table before burying her head into the fabric of her shirt. She needed to get her thoughts in order. She needed to come up with a plan. The bartender's footsteps approached as they set the glass beside Samirah and walked away quietly. Samirah silently thanked them for not asking about her troubles. She didn't feel like making up a story.

A new set of footsteps approached and when they stopped next to her she wondered what she could have done to have drawn any kind of attention.

"Have you come here to relief a little stress too?" She lifted her head to see a man leaning against the chair opposite of hers with a cup of Tarisian Ale in his hands. She smirked.

"What, am I that transparent?" He chuckled before gesturing to the seat, nonverbally asking if he could sit. She waved her hand for him to sit and he smiled, placing his ale on the table and sitting down.

It couldn't hurt, right?

"A little, but it's mostly because that look of exhaustion has become so familiar to me." He sipped his ale as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure this place has become popular because of the quarantine." He nodded as he sipped his ale again.

"Yeah, not too many people are happy about that. Though, I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you one of the off-worlder's we stranded here?" She stiffened when she looked at him.

"_We?"_ He flinched like he realized he hadn't meant to say that.

"Yeah… us Sith Officers. We don't get much time off from the base so that would explain not seeing you around." She looked at him and tried to picture him as a Sith but the idea of the man, lounging in front of her in a Sith uniform seemed unreal. He was too laid back. The Sith she had come across were all strict and in perfect posture.

"You're from the military base? You don't look like one of the Sith."

"Well… I'm off duty right now, so I'm not in uniform. My name is Yun Genda—junior officer first class with the Sith occupation force." She wanted to laugh. How would he react if he knew he was talking to a republic soldier…well, err… a scout?

"Nice to meet you, Yun. I'm—"She paused for half a second before continuing. "Sami." He looked at her surprised.

"You know I'm a Sith and yet you're still talking to me? I'm a little surprised by that. A lot, really. Most people here on Taris can't stand us. It can make the job a little lonely when even the locals don't want anything to do with you."

"Well, you can't blame them. You did conquer the planet." He started to protest but she kept talking. "Then again, you're just doing your job, right? I mean, I can't really hold that against you. It wasn't you personally who gave the order." He nodded his head, leaning closer to her.

"So you understand. The people here don't understand how good we've been to them. I mean, we could slap on a curfew, but we didn't. Everyone here is in a permanent bad mood and they don't know how to make the best of things, when they should." She placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her palms as they talked.

"Wow, you've got a pretty positive attitude about this all. I'm a little impressed." Yun smirked and even blushed slightly. Her own cheeks felt warm… she didn't mean to be flirty, but maybe he would drop some useful information. Besides, he wasn't a half bad guy either and she kind of liked the accent that was wrapped around each word. That made it all a little easier. She mildly wondered what Carth would say if he saw her now.

"Exactly! It's all about attitude and trying to make the best of what you've got. I didn't want to be here, but you know what? I'm making the best of it." He sipped his ale again. "It's pretty easy to get depressed on assignments such as these but we try to keep our spirits up." She nodded, sipping her water, trying to act as nonchalant as possible and just humoring him.

"Blowing off steam every once in a while doesn't seem like such a bad idea." He looked at her thoughtfully before turning back to his ale.

"That's true. It's nice to meet someone who understands what I'm going through. It's good to be able to talk to someone about all this and… well it gets lonely at the base."She pulled her eyes brows together, trying not to laugh… hadn't he already said that? He checked the time and frowned before looking at her sadly. "I have to get going soon—I've got a shift at the military base." His face lit up when an idea occurred to him.

He grabbed Samirah's hand and smiled at her excitedly, causing her cheeks to turn red. She wasn't prepared for his sudden movement and it caught her off guard.

"You know, some of us Junior Sith Officers are having a party tonight to blow off some steam and well…" His cheeks turned a little red and he gathered some courage. "… I'd really like to see you again. Why don't you drop by the party? You could relieve a little stress of your own." She felt bad for the guy and couldn't find it in her to say no.

"Sure." She finally said. "Sounds like a wonderful idea and I would love to go." She smiled at Yun and he could hardly believe it. She must be chewing the luna-weed to agree to this.

"Fantastic! I'll give you the address. Don't be late." He teased. "We're starting right after our shift ends. Most of us won't even be going back to the base to lock up our uniforms." That caught her attention as whatever she had been about to say became caught in her throat. "I look forward to seeing you there."

He reluctantly let go of her hand, placing the address there instead and leaving with one last glance in her direction. Unfortunately for him, she was still reeling from when he spoke about the uniforms, not paying any attention to his constant glances.

That's it! It's perfect! A disguise to get into the Undercity! Maybe she could… yes, she should definitely be able to! She was so excited that she stood up straight and left the Cantina immediately. She hurried through the crowds, retracing her steps down the walkways until she found herself at the apartments. She quietly entered the building, trying to be careful that she wasn't followed before coming anywhere near their room.

She opened the door using the code she programmed into it and then reprogramming it to be locked as she closed it. She turned around only to find that Carth was still asleep. She smiled before she reached the table, picking up an apple that lay there. She sat down and ate it as she formulated plans in her head and began to think of how everything would play out in the end. When she was done with the apple she grabbed another, not realizing how hungry she had been.

If she could gain access to the Undercity, it would be perfect! She would be able to find Bastila in no time and all it took was a little… flirting with an officer. Her cheeks turned pink as she thought about it. She didn't normally flirt like that openly. She would just have to find a way to get the uniforms and get out of there. She threw her apple core into the trash can, achieving perfect aim.

A feat earned after hours of boredom while stuck on Genesia. It was planet filled to the brim with different crime lords, that's why she thought she would have known of Davik out there… then again, she wasn't exactly in any position to start asking question about each name brought up. It wasn't exactly safe to be a Republic soldier… or scout… in Genesia. It was like a crime lord haven and what she was after just happened to be there.

She removed her weapons and laid them against the wall, but kept the bag close to her—the one Trask had left her. She mildly wondered about him, how it would have been had he survived. His help would have been wonderful. She clenched her fist and bit her lip as his final farewell brushed by her mind. He shouldn't have had to bear that fate. He shouldn't have had to do that. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair. Fate—or to some, the Force—was playing a sick game with her and she didn't want any part of it. She hated herself for surviving when he didn't. Unfortunately, she _did_ survive and the only thing she could do was keep moving and prove to be of some use to the pilot she had been stuck with. They would figure something out. They had too. According to Carth, Bastila was their only hope of survival so it was imperative that she lived.

After about an hour of waiting for Carth, she dozed off on the table, lying on the bag. When she succumbed, she was happy it was almost of her own free will. She didn't want to wake up confused and disoriented again. She just wanted some rest, some easy and peaceful sleep to help her through the next few days.

A simply request but one never answered.

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**Thanks for reading and please review: if nothing else, but for me to know that someone enjoys this! As stated, it'll continue to get better and I hope that you guys stick with me til the end! ^-^ If you ever have any questions, thoughts, ideas or just want to give me a shout out, i'd really appreciate it!**

**I appreciate your time, and i'll update soon! Thanks for your time!**

**-SilverShards (SS)-**


	4. Chapter 3: Doubt

**Here's Chapter 3! I hope it meets your expectations and maybe more! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or its characters. **

**Please enjoy ^-^**

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**Doubt**

When Carth finally opened his eyes, he yawned and slowly sat up, trying to clear his thoughts. After a few minutes he remembered where he was and the trouble they were in. When he looked out the window, the sun had started to set. He looked over at Samirah who was fast asleep on the table and he started to place the blanket over her shoulder. Some guard she was.

Looking at her now, he noted how pretty she actually was. He really hadn't _looked_ at her other than to make sure was ok and still breathing. When he saw her aboard the _Endar Spire¸_ he never paid any attention to her—she was just another occupant doing their duty. When she opened her chocolate brown eyes, she was startled to find him leaning over her.

"Whoa, calm down. Don't attack just quite yet." She rubbed her eyes and yawned as he grabbed an apple from the supplies he had acquired.

"You're awake…"She said sleepily and it made him smile.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't going to sleep all day, we've got work to do and you fell asleep. Weren't you supposed to be—"She cut him off with only a slightly annoyed look. He knew she was still recovering from the past few days but still… he had gone a couple of days on only an hour or two of sleep.

"I was and still am. There's a code programmed into the door. I tinkered a little bit with it so now, it can only be opened from the inside and you'd have to be a pretty decent slicer to get in from the outside, without the code." She folded her arms in front of her, a little annoyed that he thought she was so useless… but maybe to some degree, she still was. But she wasn't incompetent.

He looked at the door, amazed that she was even able to accomplish such a thing. When he looked back at her, he felt a little bad for jumping to conclusions but… you never know. He looked away, a little embarrassed but she didn't seem to notice. She had glanced at the time and jumped up from the table, knocking her chair over.

He turned to her, startled. She hurried over to their refresher and she quickly cleaned herself up, and washed her face. She suddenly wished she had bought some new clothes… but she couldn't really afford to spend money on clothes. She did, however, have an idea occur to her. Of course…

"What in the blazes are you doing?" She turned to see Carth staring at her with his eyebrows knitted together. She paused in her movements and thought for a moment. She finally concluded that she would make it in time and that she would have time to fill him in.

"You see, while you were sleeping, I kind of ventured out." Carth froze and went stiff at the idea. "Now, calm down, ok? As you can see, I'm fine and not dead or anything like that. Though, it was actually quite interesting. After going practically everywhere I found myself at the Cantina. I had found the way to the Undercity but you can't just waltz right down there. You have to have some authorization papers or something like that." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, like he wasn't sure what she was getting at.

"Well, while I was at the Cantina, I began talking to this man who had approached me and when he said he was a Sith Officer—" Carth's mouth dropped open.

"—You were talking to a Sith! Do you realize how dangerous that could have been? What if he found out that you were a Republic soldier?" She held a hand up and he stopped talking. She was surprisingly calm.

"He didn't know, nor will he ever. Remember that I'm a scout and this isn't my first time dealing with this sort of thing… give me a little credit." She joked, though he wasn't laughing. "He thinks I'm an off-worlder who just got stranded her like everyone else. We had a light conversation and he just wanted someone to talk to. He eventually invited me to a party that he and a couple of his Sith friends were—"

"—You want to go to a party? One full of Sith? Are you crazy? It could be a trap and—"

"Enough! Please, all I'm asking is that you listen." She pleaded before he finally stayed quite. When she was sure he was done, she politely continued. "He told me that some of the Sith weren't even going to lock up their uniforms, they were just going to go to the party." Understanding lit up Carth's face as he listened. "I was thinking that I could somehow acquire them during the party."

"And how exactly were you planning on acquiring these uniforms?" He asked. He thought it was a valid question because they weren't exactly going to just hand them over to her if she asked. Though, when her cheeks turned red as she blushed and looked away, he became a little weary of her plan. "Samirah, what _are_ you planning?"

She bit her lip and she could feel her cheeks flush.

"Nothing really, just… well, just to get the uniforms…"

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Hey, don't worry about the method." She smiled at him and suddenly, he started to assume what she was going to do. "I'll get the uniforms."

"Samirah! You're not actually thinking about… well I didn't think… no, you won't—"Without any need for more words, she caught what he was getting at.

"No! I'm not like that! Carth, really? No! The guy just… well, I think he likes me because he insisted that I come to the party… so I mean, I would just have to flirt with him a little, right?" Her face turned bright red.

"What if something bad happens? What if he takes something you said as an… an invitation for something? No, you're not going. At least not alone." Her head snapped back around to look at him with wide eyes.

"What you're coming too?" He nodded and she processed that a few moments. If he came, she might not be able to flirt with Yun to get the uniforms… then again, having Carth there would reassure her at the very least… she never worked with partners so it might be tricky but it also might be a plus. "Ok, I think we can handle that." She smiled before rushing over to the door.

"Now where are you going?" She looked back at him with a smile.

"We need something other than the clothes we've been wearing since the crash. Mine are torn and yours aren't much better, but I think I know where to get some so wait right here." She didn't give him much of a choice as she slipped out even though he had preferred that she didn't go out alone.

After several minutes of waiting, he started to get a little antsy as he practically paced around the room. He checked his blaster several times and when the door finally did open he was so startled that he immediately pointed the gun at Samirah as she entered the room. She froze, gripping the stuff in her hands as she stared at him wide eyed.

It took him a few moments before he finally lowered his gun and let out a long sigh. She hesitantly moved to the table and placed the things in her arms on the table, taking uneasy glances at Carth.

"You know, you're really jumpy." He smiled to himself.

"I just don't like surprise." She glanced over at him as she picked up a set of clothes and tossed them over to him.

"Ok, so then you don't like surprise. Duly noted. Well, if we're going to be stuck with each other, we might as well get to know each other. Do you mind telling me about yourself?" He examined the clothes, not sure if he wanted to know where she got them.

"Me? Well, I've been a star-pilot with the Republic for years. I've seen more than my share of wars… I fought in the Mandalorian wars before this started." He just held the clothes in his hands as he talked, not noticing how Samirah stopped to listen to him speak.

"But with all that. I've never experienced anything like the slaughter these Sith animals can unleash. Not even the Mandalorians were that senseless." He spat the words out as his mind took him elsewhere. "My home world was… one of the first planets to fall to Malak's fleet. The Sith bombed it into submission, and there wasn't a damn thing our Republic forces could do to stop them!" His voice had started out calm but now his voice was raised and he sounded angry. He gripped the clothes in his hands tightly. Samirah wasn't sure if she should speak or not.

"Carth… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…. This must be hard for you…"

"I'm just… a soldier; I go where the fleet Admirals tell me to. I follow my orders to the letter and I do… I do my duty. Its just…" his voice was low and she could almost see his hands shake, whether from pain or from anger, she didn't know. "It doesn't seem right that doing that means I failed them… I didn't! How could I? I just… I…" She knelt down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm… I'm so sorry, Carth. By no means did I want to upset you at all. I didn't mean to… honest…" She felt so stupid. She was trying to be helpful and friendly and there she goes… opening old wounds! Someone put a blaster to her head before she goes and depresses the whole Republic fleet.

He finally looked at her with a sigh before speaking.

"I know. Don't worry about it. I just… must not be making much sense. You probably mean well with your questions. I'm just not accustomed to talking about my past very much. At all, actually. I'm more used to taking action and keeping my mind focused on other things. Like the tasks at hand so how about we do that and you can ask more questions later, all right?" She nodded quickly, trying to be less of an idiot.

"Now, we have a party to get ready for." He tried to smile, but she could tell it took some effort. After a while, he finally was himself as he dressed into his new shirts and pants. Samirah pulled on a black skirt that came to her knees and a white blouse. She wore a black camisole underneath and pulled her hair up into a messy bun, but somehow looked really casual, yet becoming. She slipped on some black boots and when she examined herself, felt something was missing.

She grabbed her multi-purpose belt and slipped it on around her waist. She wanted to bring weapons but she felt that might not bode too well with the other party goers. She would have to rely on her hand to hand combat if necessary. But at least she felt better with the belt on. The pockets had the essentials she felt comfortable with. She stared at Trask's bag and wanted to bring it with her but opted not to.

She slid a knife into her right boot in the event things went… awry.

When Carth had finished getting ready, he turned to look at Samirah and was shocked at how pretty she was. With the boots and the belt, she looked deadly. When she caught his eye, she smiled meekly.

"Well… I hope this works because if not, we're not going to be able to find Bastila." She was unconsciously rubbing at the side of her arm. Carth walked over to her and without a word he pushed up her sleeve to see the bandage that wrapped a fresh wound.

"I don't remember you having this before…" She was startled by his sudden movement.

"It's from when I left earlier… I encountered some Sith outside our door, but they weren't looking for us, they were here to raid the building. When he killed one of the Duros for speaking up I… well, I sort of spoke up." She frowned at herself. "When he realized I was human he called me a Republic Fugitive and they attacked. Somehow, I didn't even realize I was hit until the Duros had told me."

Carth looked at the perfectly bandaged arm and then to the cut on her head which was healing up nicely.

"So… what else happened while you were out?" He asked suspiciously. She then began to fill him in on what the Duros had said, Larrim's shop and information—and how he was the source of their new found clothes—Doctor Zelka, and even Kebla's little shop. When she had finished Carth was amazed at how much she had done. "You did all of that?" She nodded.

"Well, I mean, I couldn't do _nothing." _She checked herself in the mirror before checking Carth to make sure everything was in place. He wore some brown slacks and a simple, but casual shirt with a vest. She smiled in approval before they set out, being sure to lock the door behind them, using the code Samirah had come up with.

They walked out of the apartment and crossed the walkway, enjoying how the façade of peace looked… though knowing that there was nothing peaceful about the planet. The locals were afraid to do or say anything and would mostly turn a blind eye to anything the Sith did. As they came to the apartments, she pulled out the slip of paper and followed the instruction to the right apartment. When she found it, she turned to Carth.

"Ok, from here on, just call me Sami, that's what Yun knows me as and I'm not exactly lying." He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. "It's just a simple nickname. Though… they shouldn't know you're name. So let's go with… Alen!" He stifled the chuckle and covered his mouth.

"Alen? Really?" She frowned at him.

"What? I think it's a fine name, besides, we aren't exactly here to impress them with our names, are we? And I don't see a way to shorten _Carth_ into a nickname. _Car_ isn't a very good nickname at all." This time Carth laughed.

"Alright, alright, Alen it is." She smiled happily before turning to knock lightly on the door. When it opened Samirah was greeted with a familiar face.

"Sami! You made it!" He immediately hugged her and Carth saw her stiffen for a moment before like a snap of a finger, she hugged him back and blended right in. He felt a little protective of the petite woman in front of him.

"Yun!" She laughed. "I told you I would come didn't I?" Samirah was nervous but she couldn't let that show. She had to play her part perfectly. Yun ushered them in and when his eyes moved to Carth, his face fell.

"Oh, I didn't know you brought a friend." He seemed a little disappointed but tried to hide it. "Um, is he… well, are you two…" He had trouble bringing the words together.

"Friends? Yes. Don't worry; we aren't together, just some old friends traveling together." She smiled at him as his face suddenly brightened up. He turned to Carth with a friendly smile that kind of annoyed Carth but he didn't let it show.

"Then name is Yun Genda." Carth accepted his hand with a smile of his own. Maybe Yun was too happy about it.

"Nice to meet you Yun, I'm… Alen." As he said the name it sounded awkward to him, but luckily for him, Yun didn't seem to notice.

"Well, Alen, it's nice to meet you." He turned back the Samirah with a much happier smile and Carth just wanted to grimace. "I really am glad you made it, Sami." He slung an arm around her shoulder and she could tell he had already had some ale. This night might be long indeed.

Yun began to lead Sami away from Carth, talking to her about how her arrival would help get the party into full swing. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at Carth apologetically as a woman walked up to him. Carth watched Sami until the woman was standing right next to him. Her hair was pulled into a neat, blonde ponytail and she handed him a cup of ale as she sipped at her own.

"You're friend _should _be fine, but I've never seen him so attached to anyone before." She wondered out loud before holding a hand out to Carth. "My name's Sarna." Carth accepted her hand shake.

"I'm Alen." They began a light conversation about anything they could think of that could keep the conversation going. Carth felt a little uncomfortable since he knew she was a Sith but after a while, she felt like any other person you'd meet on the street and that seemed to be what most people forgot this day and age.

"Do you always carry you're blaster?" He looked at his waist where he had it strapped in. It was a habit of his to always carry his weapon. He hadn't meant to bring it along for fear that they would suspect him.

"Its—It's a habit of mine. You know, you can only go to some many planets before you realize that it isn't safe not to carry." She smiled and laughed.

"I fully understand. As Sith, it's become second nature.

Samirah watched for a few moments to make sure Carth was going to be okay before Yun pulled her attention back to him.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about him. Sarna won't bite. When I told her about you she got a little jealous that I found someone who sympathized with me. I guess when your friend arrived, she was hoping he would be like you and understand." He sipped his ale as Samirah quickly looked back at Carth once more.

Now she really was worried. If anything, Carth probably hated the Sith the most. After telling her about his home planet and all the guilt on his face… she was worried he might lose it. The blaster strapped to his waist didn't boost her confidence either. What was she thinking, letting him come! She was now worried for the woman too, even if she was a Sith. She was sure these guys weren't personally responsible for his home planets destruction but that didn't mean he wouldn't hold them responsible.

When she saw him laugh at something Sarna had said, she relaxed a little bit and sipped her ale.

"You two are pretty close, huh?" She looked back at Yun as he watched her. She smiled, trying not to show that she was nervous leaving Carth alone.

"We look out for each other; I suppose you can say it's become second nature… he's family." She sipped some more of her ale as they spoke.

"That's good, knowing you can trust him and that he trusts you." For some reason, the mention of trust made her fidget. Did Carth trust her? He was skeptical to just go to sleep knowing she was watching his back. "We Sith don't tend to trust easily. Well, at least most. Even if you work with them for years, they still don't trust you fully because you are a Sith. It's really confusing to be honest. You never know when someone you _trust_ turns on you and kills you for your riches, power, rank, whatever you had." Samirah shuddered at the thought.

"That must be… awful." She shook her head. "Why did you join then? It seems to me that… it would be a difficult lifestyle choice." He chuckled.

"You would think, but when they recruited me, they promised me adventure, action and credits. You know what I got? I got assigned to this backwater planet, pushing papers and citizens around. Not exactly the adventure I had hoped for." He leaned back against the wall and she followed suit. Far enough away that it wouldn't look like she was coming on to him and yet, close enough that he wouldn't notice her distance.

"That must really be hard to take… I don't know what I would do without my adventure." Her mind drifted to her scouting days for the Republic—not that she could reveal she belonged with the Republic.

"Yeah, you look like an adventurer. That's why I approached you in the Cantina. You don't look like you belong to either the Sith or the Republic. I want to say neutral but you can never be too sure." Her words caught in her throat. She didn't look like she belonged in either group? Not belonging with the Sith was fine… but the Republic? "I mean, you have that air of adventure and I suppose being with either or would only hold you back, right?"

"R-Right, yeah, most definitely, I wouldn't like being restricted." She shakily recovered and was grateful that Yun hadn't noticed her hesitation. Maybe he mistook it as shyness. "This quarantine is enough to drive me stir crazy. I'm ready to go to my next planet or something. Tatooine, Alderaan, Malastare, Felucia: All these exotic places and yet… people rarely ever venture from home. As a child, I wanted to leave home and see what this galaxy had to offer."

"Really? What got you started?" Samirah smiled as she remembered. At first, she was just another citizen who supported the Republic.

"I met this merchant on my home planet who was searching for people to be his crewman and I immediately took that as my opportunity. I had been day dreaming about planets everywhere and when I saw this opportunity… I snatched it. We don't live long enough to have regrets so I was sure that I had to or forever regret missing the opportunity." She smiled, remembering the look the Rodian gave her when she requested to join his venture.

"At the time, I understood a good portion of alien languages, a skill I learned from merchants and smugglers who passed by. Though, the Rodian neglected to inform any of us of the dangers we would face and we lost many men to creatures and people we had never expected… and I proved my worth to no end…"

They both moved to a couch so they could sit and talk as other partygoers kept drinking and getting lost in the music. Carth had been careful to keep an eye on Samirah as she spoke with Yun. He could tell how absorbed he was with her and yet… she didn't seem to notice. Sure, she thought he liked her but Carth didn't think she knew how much. He was practically wrapped around her finger… and whatever tale she was telling.

"You know, you seem to be focused on your little friend." Sarna mused as she drank her ale.

"What do you mean?" He smiled at her, trying to play it off but she smiled knowingly at him.

"You think it escaped my notice? You keep glancing at her like you're worried Yun's going to… to eat her. Sure he's had a lot of Tarisian ale but it's fantastic stuff, can you blame him?"

"Well, Sami tends to be a bit careless." Sarna smiled. She really liked this ale and was ecstatic that she didn't have to work a shift in the morning.

"You know, maybe she is, maybe she isn't. How can you be sure?" Carth looked at her a little confused.

"What do you mean?" She rolled her eyes.

"It's a lesson we learn as Sith. You don't trust anyone because you don't know what their planning. Each word, each expression, each little thing they do can be a plot to take you out so that they can advance. You can hardly trust a person now these days." Carth frowned. He knew that all too well. Samirah wasn't like that though.

She had done a lot for their cause. She got them into this party to acquire the uniforms they needed to access the Undercity, she found the elevator and was able to rig their hideout with the necessary security to keep them safe. She was doing great! They would be able to find Bastila in no time. To think, had the Jedi council not requested her presence then—

The shock of what he was thinking was enough that he dropped his ale. Sarna gasped when it splashed everywhere. He apologized as he quickly picked up his cup and excused himself to take care of the mess. Sarna agreed a little sadly.

It was convenient how the one person the Jedi Council requested to be on the mission was the only other survivor on the _Endar Spire_ and—no , he was being paranoid. She couldn't possibly be a traitor or anything like that. No, not at all. Samirah was a good person and he could see that. She was a beautiful woman who had a good heart.

When he returned, Sarna's face lit up and Carth almost felt bad for leaving. As time passed by, the partygoers began to drink themselves silly and fall asleep. Carth had only kept his one cup but he wasn't exactly sure how many Samirah had had. She was giggling as Yun talked to her and again, that seemed to annoy him.

She would giggle and when he would get closer to her, her face would flush and she would kindly move back. Yun took it as shyness and would continue to flirt with her and keep the conversation going. At one point he did stand up to refill his drink, but before he left he grabbed her hand and kissed it before walking away. She shuddered when he had turned his back.

He took that moment to excuse himself from the conversation with Sarna for a moment to go see her. Sarna smiled disappointedly but told him to go ahead. He approached her and when he was standing next to her she looked at him startled.

"Oh, Ca-Alen." She sighed. "You scared me…" She rubbed her eyes before looking at him with a smile. Even tired, she looked… amazing. That's right, he shouldn't be paranoid. She was a good person and that smile proved it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too. Mind if I sit?" She shook her head so he sat where Yun had been earlier. "Having fun?" When she laughed humorlessly, he took that as a no.

"He would keep scooting closer to me and I panicked. No matter how many times I tried to remain calm I didn't know what I was meant to do. He would laugh it off and call me shy and cautious before starting a new conversation." She leaned back against the sofa. Carth watched as she rubbed at the spot where he had kissed her hand.

"Do you even realize how ensnared he is with your charm?" Her head snapped up to look at him.

"Ensnared? Charm? What? No, he—he's not _ensnared_ with anything but the Tarisian Ale here." She shook her head.

"Hey, Yun! Yun!" Carth and Samirah looked over the couch as Sarna was waving her hand in front of his face. He was lying against a wall, completely knocked out. "Jeez, lay off the ale, would you! You're going to be puking all morning…" Samirah bit her lip.

"Oops…" Carth looked at her suspiciously.

"What did you do this time?" She looked at him innocently and yet guilty. He didn't know someone could wear such an expression.

"Well, I didn't want to drink too much ale and yet he kept bringing me cup after cup so when he wasn't paying attention, I switched his empty cup with my full cup. He never even noticed that his glass had been _magically _refilled. So… he drank all of mine plus his. I hadn't meant for him to get so… _wasted._" She frowned and looked at him as Carth started laughing.

"You—you mean you switched cups without his notice? And yet, you still claim that you didn't have him ensnared?"

"I thought I was just that good… You know, since I was—"She cut herself off. It took her a moment to finish the sentence. "Since I was a freelancing explorer, I picked up a few things." Carth noticed how she was careful about what she said and he didn't blame her. They needed to be.

Samirah watched as Sarna downed another cup of Ale, her cheeks nice and pink. She swayed a little before another drunk Sith caught her and they both fell laughing. Samirah noted the Sith uniforms by the door. How fast and secretly would she be able to smuggle them out. Most of the Sith had already passed out and only a few were barely even conscious—maybe one or two. Sarna looked like she was trying to stay awake as she slouched next to Samirah.

"Ya kno'…" She slurred. "I envvvvy you…" She pointed at Samirah who looked at her in surprise.

"Me?" Sarna nodded as she sipped her newly filled cup of Ale.

"Yep. You hafffe, that guysh compashion. I env—envy that. I wishhh I had… a guy… who—"She dropped her cup and watched it hit the floor and splash everywhere. "Damn it! What a washte… what guud… ale…" She slumped over onto Samirah who jumped in surprise.

Carth was stifling his laughter as Samirah moved to lay Sarna down on the sofa. She found a blanket and covered her up before looking at Carth, confused.

"Compassion?" He shrugged. "How much ale has she…"When Samirah looked up most everyone was out like a light—scratch that, everyone was. Samirah watched as the last soldier tripped over someone's legs and when he fell, he didn't get up. She checked him to make sure he was alright and he was. Just stupidly wasted.

"Guess they really did need this, huh?" Samirah nodded as she quickly grabbed two Sith uniforms and placed them in a bag that was lying in the corner, after emptying it of course. Once she had done that, she handed the bag to Carth as she turned and picked up all the items.

"What are you going to do with that?" She opened a footlocker and placed them inside along with the other uniforms and then began to tamper with it.

"Well, think about it. If they wake up and find that their uniforms are missing as are we, they might search the room first before accusing us of taking them. So I'm putting them all in this footlocker and I'm going to lock it. Not a code that's in possible, but one that will take some time to open." After several minutes had passed by she stood up and backed away.

Carth noticed how a small piece of a uniform stuck out from the corner of the box. It was obvious enough that if they started looking, they would see it.

"This way, they will assume it was one of the many activities they don't recall." She smiled to herself as Carth marveled at her ingenuity and logic.

"Wow… impressive." She laughed softly.

"Thanks, now let's get out of here before some later arrivals show up or something." He agreed as she took the bag from him and slid it onto her back. They quietly left the apartment complex before they were walking on the street back to their own apartment. For the most part it was quiet save for a few drunkards who staggered from right to left.

One small group staggered in front of them and looked them up and down. They were obviously drunk.

"What is thish planet coming to, huh?" he hiccupped. "Shlummies just walkin' around the Upper City… like… like they own it… even if… she's a pretty shlummie…" He waved his hand everywhere and Samirah had to back up to avoid being smacked in the face. Carth narrowed his eyes at the guy, ready to take action if they even attempted something. The guy next to him agreed.

"Shouldn't you go back to… to the lower cities where…where you belong, shlummie?" He hiccupped too and even staggered a bit. Carth rolled his eyes.

"Well, this is rich." Samirah giggled to his remark and the third drunk looked at them with narrowed eyes…. Well, he at least tried but it ended up failing miserably… she wasn't sure what kind of look it ended up being.

"Yeah, like he said… these—these streets are for…Upper City citishens! You… you better get out of our way if you know what's—what's good for you!" He tried to appear threatening but when he tripped over himself, he lost any effort.

"Is that a threat?" Carth asked, ready to pummel the guy the moment they made the first move. The first one smiled as he swayed in Samirah's direction before tossing an arm around her shoulders. She smiled at him but it was an incredulous smile.

"Hey, shlummie, you don't smell half bad either… even for a shlummie…" He hiccupped again and Samirah could smell the ale on his breath. He definitely had a few too many glasses… or maybe even the whole bottle.

Carth tightened his fist. He didn't like them hanging all over Samirah. She looked over at Carth and shot him a warning glance. It took him a moment to process why when a group of Sith passed by, ignoring the drunks. That's right. They didn't want to draw any more attention to themselves, especially with the uniforms in their backpack. Samirah turned her smile to the guys.

"Thank you, you're too kind to me." The man smiled triumphantly.

"You should shtick around with us…" He hiccupped again and wobbled a little bit, making Samirah reach out to steady him. Carth watched noting how remarkable her patience was.

"But, she's a shlummie!" The second drunk whined. "I don't want her kind… *hic* around here…" He pointed a shaky finger at her and she continued to smile.

"Well, then how about I buy you guys a drink? We can be friends right?" She smiled sweetly at them and the one with his arm around her shoulder perked up and so did the one who whined.

"A drink? Hey, hey! I wash right about you, shlummie! You ain't so *hic* bad! This shlummie's buying the next round!" he cheered. The whiner smiled.

"Yesh, another drink shounds great!" Carth looked at her like she was crazy, but when he followed her gaze, she was staring at the third drunk who had gone quiet. He looked ready to puke.

"No way… forget it! No more drinksh! *hic* We're… we're late enough as it ish." He covered his mouth as the others suddenly thought that sounded like a good idea too.

"Y-yeah… I guess you're right. Maybe next time, shlummie but if you'd like *hic*" He smiled at her mischieviously. "You can shtill hang out with ush… even if you are a shlummie." Samirah bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Maybe some other time, when I buy you guys that drink." His face perked up.

"Yeah, that shounds good… come on fellas… let's get *hic* out of here."

Carth relaxed as the guy removed his arm from her shoulder and stumbled down the street. They started singing some song off key as they toppled over one another down the street and Samirah suddenly thought they might not make it home before puking or passing out first. She shuddered at the lingering feeling of his arm around her shoulders.

"You know, you continue to amaze me." She looked at him and saw his disbelieving smile. "How you could stay calm while that drunk leaned on you and flirted with you… I almost lost it." He laughed.

"Well, I figured you sometimes have to humor them. They probably won't even remember me in the morning they were so trashed." She shook her head. "Though, I have to say, there were a few moments where I was ready to just—I don't know, knock him senseless." Carth laughed as they continued their journey to the apartments, staying clear of any more drunks.

As they got closer, Samirah glanced a few times at Carth trying to find an opportune moment to talk to him, but she kept chickening out and would just shake her head. Carth caught one of her sideways glances.

"What?" She shook her head.

"It's nothing." She bit her lip and he smiled to himself at how cute she looked. She really was shy.

"No, you have something you want to ask, so go ahead." She waited a few moments before she finally let out a sigh.

"Well, I was wondering… if this was a good time to ask more questions. I mean, I don't want to impose or anything if you don't want to talk…" She stammered. She was trying to be respectful and he kind of liked how she was trying to be careful.

"I'm all ears, beautiful." She nodded and he wondered if she had heard the _beautiful _part.

"Ok, that's good. I like the sound of—"She froze before turning around to look at him, surprised. "—Wait, what did you just call me?" He laughed.

She blushed and that brought a big smile to his face. Oh, it was so easy to tease her and he was sure he was bound to get some mileage out of it.

"C-Carth, are you flirting with me, too?" She didn't seem angry, just surprised and without a doubt she was. She never expected to hear that from this pilot of all people. He was laughing lightly.

"Not really. Just a habit. Besides, you've had everyone else practically jumping at you. Why, you have something you'd rather I call you by?" Her face turned red but she could tell he was teasing her, though it didn't make her blush any less.

_You want to play this game?_

"Alright, I kind of like the sound of _gorgeous._ That sounds like a good name to me." She smiled, but her cheeks were still a bright red. So she wanted to keep it up? Alright.

"I might consider it." He thought to himself with a smile growing. "But what are you going to call me, in exchange?" If her face could have gotten redder then it would have. She looked at him with a smile, but still the bright red cheeks.

"Ok, fly boy. How about _Handsome thug_?" She looked at him with a mischievous smile of her own. He laughed again.

"I like the first part of that. Though I'm a bit more partial to _the most handsome pilot in the galaxy._ What do you think?" This time she bursted in laughter. She pulled her hand up to her mouth to try to stifle the bubbles of laughter but to no avail.

"I might consider it." She said in a mocking tone, but playful.

"Well, then I suppose _gorgeous _will have to do until then, won't it." She smiled at him and he returned her smile. She reached up and stretched her arms, happy that she and Carth were able to joke with each other.

"Kidding aside though," When he began she turned to look at him curiously. "I bet you're not about to give up on those questions of yours." She blushed slightly…again. She had almost forgotten about them… but he was right, she wasn't really about to give up on them. "Are they really necessary?"

"Well, no, not if you have a problem with it." He shook his head.

"No,no. I don't have a problem with it, really. Go ahead and interrogate me." He was joking but she looked at him, mortified.

"This isn't an interrogation. I never said that. Does it feel like I'm interrogating you?" She seemed nervous again. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable with all her questions.

"No, I was just joking, calm down Samirah. Though, you do seem to be full of questions. It's rather refreshing, to be honest." He took in a deep breath as if he felt refreshed right then and there. Suddenly, the things Sarna had said and his earlier thoughts got the better of him. "Though let me ask you something first." She nodded, giving him to go ahead.

"I've been going through the battle aboard the _Endar Spire _over and over in my head since we crashed. Some things just don't add up for me. Maybe you could tell me what happened… from your perspective." He glanced at her hesitantly as she looked at the sky thoughtfully.

"Well, I wasn't really in a position to know what was going on myself. To be honest… I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for… Trask." Her voice fell quietly on the name and Carth wondered why.

"I wasn't really in a position to know either. I was onboard as an advisor for the most part. The battle began so fast, it's anyone's guess as to what actually happened. We lost the ship and a lot of good people… and for what? On the hope that Jedi powers would save us, somehow? Not that Bastila had much of an opportunity to act… we didn't choose that battle, anyway." He thought about the people he had worked with and how they hadn't made it off.

"It got forced on us…Hell, I'm just surprised that any of us are alive to talk about it." He then couldn't help his next words or the suspicious tone he took. "Come to think of it, it's more than a little surprising that you happen to be here , isn't it? Just what is your position with the Republic fleet, anyway?" To Samirah, he sounded cautious and overly suspicious of her.

Had all her hard work to be helpful been in vain? It felt like when she woke up to find him in the apartment with her. He wasn't very trusting of her and nor was she of him but she warmed up fast because they were on the same side… right?

"I told you. I'm a scout and I was recruited into the fleet for my skills and knowledge gathered from my travels. I'm fluent in… I don't even know how many languages and I know more planets and have dared to even visit them than most recruits. I suppose that seemed useful to some higher up."

"Well, that makes sense. Still… it seems a bit strange that someone who was a last-minute addition to the crew roster is one of the survivors." When he looked at her, he saw this fire in her eyes that matched the angry expression on her face. He'd never seen her angry.

"You'd rather I wasn't?" She had wished that she hadn't made it at the cost of Trask's life. To hear the implication that Carth didn't want her around… hurt. It actually hurt a lot. She had finally come to terms with Trask's death and that it was so she could be as helpful as she could and here they were—Carth wishing it was anyone but her. How many times did she wish it was Trask instead of her?

"Don't be ridiculous!" That hadn't been what he had meant but he could tell that he should have worded it differently… but how? "You've more than proved yourself since the crash… we wouldn't have made it this far without you. But still…" He stopped short, not sure how to continue. He didn't have too.

"Are you implying that _I_ had something to do with the crash?" She balled her fists up and tightened them. She would never have done such a thing! The very idea that she… was the cause for all those deaths…

"No. Well… maybe." Carth couldn't help what he was saying. He wished everything was simple… but nothing ever was. "Don't get me wrong, it just seems odd that someone Bastila's party specifically requested to transfer aboard happened to survive." When Samirah looked at him a little confused, he realized she didn't know.

"Why would Bastila request my transfer?" Her voice was low and soft. She had figured it was the Republic… not Bastila, nor the Jedi. He had said the Jedi requested her as well… that didn't make any sense. She had no connection to them.

"The Jedi requested numerous things when they came on board… hell, they practically took over the ship, as far as I could tell. They required certain conditions to be met and the like." He ran his fingers through his hair as they stood on the street. They hadn't noticed that they had stopped walking and simply stood on the end of the walkway, peering over Taris.

"Considering your connection to Bastila and the Jedi… whether you know it or not… your presence here seems a little convenient. I'm probably wrong and this is probably nothing, I know. I learned a long time ago not to take things at face value, however. And I _hate _surprises." His obvious distrust of her hurt and… made her mad.

"I'm telling you, Carth. I had nothing to do with the crash." Her voice was low and mono toned. The very idea of her causing all those deaths made the pit in her stomach flip. She was sickened to her core.

"I expect you're right. I've got no real reason to suspect you of anything. Still… it's better to be safe than sorry, right?"

"Are you always this suspicious of people or am I just the _lucky_ winner here?" He wasn't used to her sarcasm or tone. He actually seemed surprised… but he really shouldn't have been. He should have expected this kind of reaction if you accuse someone of being a traitor or something close.

"Look… it has nothing to do with you, personally."

"Oh, really? Well that makes me feel _loads _better, really, it does. Glad to know I'm not the only one, Carth." She was mad and right now, she wanted to break something or shoot something. All these pent up emotions and guilt were weighing on her shoulders and she didn't need this from him.

"I don't trust anyone, and I have my reasons—And no, I'm not going to discuss them." He added when she opened her mouth to ask. "So can we just keep our mind on more important things?"

"Important? You don't think that trusting the person you're stuck with is important? I consider this _very _important, Carth." He rubbed his face in frustration.

"Alright, alright! You must be the most damned persistent woman I've ever met." She smiled like she was proud she had at least annoyed him in return. She didn't like being casted as a traitor because everything seemed _too convenient_ to him. "We'll talk about it… but later, ok? Right now I just want to get going."

"Fine." She packed a lot of venom in her voice and her body was tight with anger. Realizing they had stopped moving, she marched in front of him towards the apartments. He sighed not really looking forward to the next few hours of contact. As they neared the apartments they found an old man outside being harassed by another human and alien. Perfect. Just perfect.

"Davik says you missed your last payment." The man smirked.

"**Davik doesn't like you missing payments."** The alien said, practically echoing the man.

"Here—I've got fifty credits! A down payment—that should buy me some time, right?" He pleaded but that only made the man smile.

"Sorry, you're out of time." He said in a sing-song voice. "Now it's all or nothing. Davik can't have people not paying his debts." He clicked his tongue several times, as if to reprimand him.

"But I-I don't have that much! How can I give you credits I don't have?"

"Aww, that's too bad. Davik's going to want to make an example of you. I guess that means you're coming with us, then." As they approached the man he panicked.

"No—Help! Somebody help! They're going to kill me!" Before Carth could do or say anything, Samirah had already stepped closer.

"Hey, I think that's enough." The bounty hunters turned to look at her and the man smiled in amusement.

"Hold on a second here, looks like we got ourselves a witness." He said with enthusiasm.

"**Davik doesn't like witnesses."** The alien echoed again. Did he not think on his own? Samirah didn't care either way.

"Sounds like Davik doesn't like a lot of things. There'll be more that he won't like if you persist so…I really do suggest that you leave this man alone."

"Guess we have to teach you to mind your own business then, huh?" A smile crept on Samirah's face. She was tired of all this bullying and the like.

"Fine by me." They pulled out their weapons and aimed them at Samirah. Carth realized that she didn't pack any weapons with her because of the party and he only had his because he had unconsciously done so. He pulled his blasters out, ready to aim but Samirah was blocking his shot. He cursed as he tried to move to shoot around her.

She moved forward, making a bee line at the human as he pulled the trigger to shoot. She pulled the knife from her boot and threw it at the man, hitting him in the arm before she ducked, sliding across the floor and kicked her foot straight up. He had only fired a few more shots before her foot kicked his hand. His blaster flew from his hands and his eyes automatically shot straight up to follow his blaster so he could catch it.

She smiled when she kicked him in the gut before catching the blaster in her own hands. She aimed as he looked straight into the blaster and she fired at him before spinning around to fire at the Alien who had his sights on Carth. She dropped him before Carth could. Carth looked at her amazed but she didn't spare him a glance.

The old man ran up to her and quickly shook her hand.

"Thank you—I owe you my life! Those bounty hunters were going to take me away and kill me! My wife warned me not to take a loan from Davik. Now I can't pay him back. It's not good to owe a crime lord money. He'll just keep sending more bounty hunters after me until I'm dead!"

She smiled sweetly at him and sympathetically.

"Maybe's there's a way I can help you?" he laughed humorlessly… almost hopelessly.

"You already helped me by saving me from those bounty hunters. So unless you have a spare 100 credits to give me so I can pay off Davik, there's nothing else you can do." He looked down like he held no more hope and was beyond tired. She searched through her pockets that were on her belt until she found her money. She pulled out 100 credits and handed it to him.

"Here are 100 credits. Please, take them and get yourself out of this mess. I doubt I'll be able to save you each time." He looked at her with disbelief.

"You're giving me 100 credits? Just like that? I… I don't know what to say! Thank you! Thank you! Now I can pay off Davik! You've saved my life again! Thank you! I need to take these to him right now! I must!" He hugged her real quick before he rushed away shouting with joy. She smiled to herself, happy that she was able to restore his hope. She quickly moved the bodies into an inconspicuous spot so that you would have to look for them in order to find them.

"Wow, you gave him 100 credits? Generous." He had spoken lightly and only earned a slight glance from here.

"Glad you approve. You should never take hope away from someone… sometimes; it's all they have left. I didn't want to destroy what he had left." Her voice was monotone and there was no emotion in it. Was she that angry at him? If she knew why he distrusted people then maybe she wouldn't be so angry… then again, he was the one who didn't want to tell her. Could she blame him? Everything was happening so conveniently.

She didn't want to talk to him for the moment. Now, every time he opened his mouth she could hear his accusations and she didn't want to. She thought that they would get along just fine… but she guessed that was just wishful thinking on her part. It hurt to know that the only person she was supposed to trust right now… didn't trust her. How could you trust someone who didn't trust you?

She didn't like it. She was angry and she was determined to prove she didn't cause the destruction of the _Endar Spire_… or the death of her bunkmate.

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**Thank you for reading and be sure to Review so I know how i'm doing and if you like it!**

**Comments/ideas and questions are always appreciated! I'll be sure to update soon, once i proof read the next chapter!**

**Thanks a million,**

**-SilverShards(SS)**


	5. Chapter 4: One Step Forward, Two Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own the game SW: KOTOR or STAR WARS or any of the related things pertaining TO Star Wars. I don't even own the theme song... but how cool would that be if I did? Exactly.**

**Ok, sorry for such a long delay on the update guys! I've trying to keep sane lol (it may be a little too late but hey, doesn't mean I have to totally flip to the other side ^-^) **

**Well, here is chapter 4 and again, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! **

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**One Step Forward, Two Back**

They finally arrived back at the apartment where she was relieved to find that no one had tampered with it. She walked to one end of the room, obviously wanting to be left alone as she unpacked the uniforms and laid them out. As she smoothed them out and the plan began to formulate in her mind she smiled to herself.

Everything should work out perfectly. With these, they should be able to sneak into the Undercity and find Bastila. With any luck, she should be somewhere near her escape pod and since she was a Jedi, she wouldn't have been caught by the Sith so easily. Right?

Unfortunately that was a lot of _luck _she was relying on. She didn't want to hang around the apartment with Carth… at least not now. He knew just what to say and how to act to… well, for lack of a better word, piss her off. It was like he would hint at all this information and then when she tried to find out what, he would seal it all way like she was his enemy… and maybe she was.

No, she needed to cool off and she smiled when an idea occurred. She grabbed some clothes and went to the refresher to quickly change out of her skirt and blouse. She felt much more comfortable in the pants and shirt that Larrim had also given her – for a small fee of course. He saw the rips and tears in her outfit so he gave her a new one for a discounted price which was only a few credits. She then pulled her scouting vest over her new shirt and relaxed when she felt like a scout again.

She strapped her vibroblade to her back and her blasters to her waist. She even slid her little knife in her boots just for extra measure; never could be too safe. She pulled on her favorite vest with pockets all over. She brushed her hair out and pulled it into a ponytail before strapping on her belt. Her bangs fell from the ponytail and fell in front of her face, swishing to the side. As she headed for the door, Carth stopped her.

"Hey, where are you going? We just got back." She turned to him, neither smiling nor glaring... attempting to remain as impassive as she could.

"Out to make us a few credits. If we only spend credits we will be left with none. Do you trust me enough to let me go do this?" He flinched at how harsh she sounded without having to use any emotion in her words what so ever.

She felt bad about saying that, but what did he want her to say? He can't possibly restrict her movements because he didn't trust her. What about her trusting him? What if he's the one that can't be trusted? She had just as much right not to trust him as he did to not trust her.

"Ok, fine, go." He breathed out. She didn't need any more before she was out the door, locking it behind her.

Carth stared at the door after she left before he sat down on the bed. Of course, she was angry. What did he expect? That she would be okay with his distrust of her? But he really had a hard time trusting anyone, especially with all that's happening, it makes it harder. He got up and made himself something to eat and sat in silence as he ate it. When he had finished he waited a little bit longer, wondering how long she was planning on being gone.

He was lying on the bed, waiting for her when he slowly started to doze off to sleep. It was ridiculously late at night and he was still exhausted. How could she keep going? Did she not get tired or something? It was like she had an energy cell in her body. She was always on the move.

He yawned, comforted by the knowledge of the security lock Samirah had added to their apartment so he felt safe to go to sleep… for the most part.

And guilty for not trusting her, even if it was the truth.

A few hours later, Samirah opened the door to the apartment to find Carth asleep on the bed. She was actually glad that he had fallen asleep so she wouldn't have to deal with him. She slipped off her boots quietly before she grabbed a bottle of water. She had earned 1500 credits fighting 5 people in the dueling ring. She was exhausted and nearly lost a few times. And this guy named Bendak Starkiller wanted to have a death match with her… one she was reluctant to fight but knew they could use the credits and he really didn't give her much of a choice before storming off with a smug like posture. Luckily, it would take time to set up so she had time to prepare.

She fidgeted when she could feel all her bruises and the few cuts that dotted along her arms and the rare few on her abdomen. There weren't deep and didn't really hurt, but were just tremendously annoying.

She was glad she had eaten at the Cantina as she finished that last of her bottle and quietly threw it away. She didn't want to wake up Carth but she didn't want to sleep on the table either so she found her own little corner and slid down the wall until she was sitting. She used the bag Trask had left her as a pillow before lying down.

She was tired but she had trouble calming her mind down. She knew she was the reason for Trask's death; she didn't need Carth to tell her that… but the idea that she was responsible for the entire crew? That was—that was just a horrible thing for her to comprehend. The very idea that he even thought that of her hurt more than her blaster wounds catching on fire. She could cry but she wasn't about too. They didn't have time for it.

Of all the people she could have been stuck with… she got Carth Onasi—the most distrustful Republic soldier on the _Endar Spire…_ maybe even the whole star system. If only Trask was here, maybe he could explain to her why he was like this. What had she done wrong? As far as being helpful came, she was doing the worst job ever!

But, for Trask's sake, she would put up with him and his trust issues. She had too. If Trask admired him than maybe there was more to him. Maybe she could get him to trust her yet. With a smile on her face she slowly fell asleep, finally putting her stupidly talkative mind to sleep… or at least to rest in the back of her mind for now. She had bigger issues to focus on and all she really needed was Carth's help to save Bastila… even if he didn't want to trust her.

When Carth woke up, the sun was in his eyes and he quietly sat up straight and yawned groggily. He looked around the room and was struck with fear when he didn't see Samirah. Did she not come back last night? Did the Sith find her? His eyes widened the moment he thought it—the drunkards from last night! That was it, the last straw; he was going to pummel them into the next galaxy when he found them! They went too far this time. If she had so much as a fingerprint on her, he was going to—

"Sir, are you going to stay in bed all day or are you coming with me?" His head snapped towards the refresher where she stood, dressed in her Sith Uniform. She must have grabbed Sarna's because it fit her just right. She held the helmet under her arm as she walked across the room to her bag.

He then noticed the little makeshift bed she had in the corner and he felt bad for not thinking about the sleeping arrangements. Why hadn't she slept on the small couch?

"Samirah, why did you sleep in the corner?" He found himself asking, puzzled. She looked at him with her usual smile which shocked him more than anything else thus far. She was smiling?

"Well, when I was a scout and traveled a lot, I became accustomed to sleeping on the floor or having to put together a bed. It almost reminds me of those days so I don't mind at all. Besides, I put the uniforms on the couch. Didn't want to mess them up, it might look bad." She smiled to herself at the idea.

Then they would look like they really had gone to a party. She didn't want that, she just wanted to find Bastila as quickly as she could. She wanted off the planet… she was ready to go traveling again when the only person she had to worry about trusting was herself. When the only person whose life depended on her was her own. She should have never accepted the transfer over to the _Endar Spire._ She should have just remained a scout and gone on, helping the Republic in any way she could… except that was exactly why she had agreed to transfer... that was why she was here.

Oh boy.

Carth slipped on his Sith uniform, slightly worried at Samirah's change in mood. Why was she her usual self again? It didn't seem natural when just last night, she seemed so annoyed at him… angry even.

When the uniform was on, he held the helmet in his hands and watched Samirah as she packed all the essentials, unsure about how long it would take before they would be able to come back to the Upper City. When she was ready, she slipped the bag on her back. It was packed with her clothes, med packs, water and credits. She tossed Carth his own backpack full of basically the same.

What happened yesterday? Did something happen?

"Samirah?" She turned to look at him with her curious gaze, no different than she usually would. "Where did you go yesterday?" When she smiled at him, he regretted asking.

"I went to the Cantina and did some dueling. I figured I might as well since you were paid to enter the ring. That stupid Hutt couldn't think of a better name for me other than _the Mysterious Stranger._ What kind of name is that?" She shook her head at the stupid name but for some reason, it stuck. Something a bit catchier would have made her happy.

"Anyway, I dueled all five contestants and became the champion, earning 1500 credits. So I was the legitimate champion and will be the final one once—" she stopped short realizing Carth probably wouldn't approve of the death match. Then again, who knows, maybe he'd hope she lost or something.

She mentally kicked herself for thinking such an awful thought. What the hell was wrong with her? Surely he wouldn't want that of her… right? Then again, she would never have suspected him of accusing her for the destruction of the _Endar Spire._

"Once what?" She popped back up and smiled at him, making up the rest.

"Once it all becomes finalized." Carth looked at her with a disbelieving stare but she just smiled before placing her helmet on, hiding her face. She wasn't about to give it away. This time, it was her turn to hide information.

He thought she was hiding something but he didn't think he could get it out of her. She was probably trying to be careful about what she said around him. She strapped her vibroblade on and then her blasters at her waist... just like she did the night before, almost like a routine. Carth slid his helmet on and then his backpack before they were on their way out the door, arming the security just to be safe. Carth's blasters, of course, were already strapped to his waist as well.

As they made their way to the elevator guarded by a Sith, they realized that a lot of people were taking cautious glances at them. Carth was nervous that they were drawing too much attention and when a Sith patrol inched closer, he went rigid. Samirah was walking fine. One of the patrols nodded to her and she to them.

"Here's to another uneventful watch, right?" He asked. She laughed softly.

"Are you kidding? I think _uneventful _is a little bit of an understatement on this planet. It's hardly worth the effort…" She said, shaking her head. He chuckled before he kept walking on with his partner. Carth eased up a little as they proceeded.

Samirah let out a shaky sigh when she was clear of the Sith patrol. Truth be told, she hadn't expected him to walk right up to them, then again, as long as they didn't have any code words, she would be fine.

As they approached the elevator, they became more and more cautious. When they arrived in front of the guard he looked them up and down and sighed.

"Another patrol going down? I don't envy you, that's for certain. Go ahead, just be careful. Between those gangs and the Rakghoul disease, it isn't a pleasant place. Would rather stand her all day then fight those idiots…"

"We'll be careful. Just push the gangs at each other and the Rakghouls at them and we should be fine. Maybe they'll all take each other out." The guard let out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, we'll see how well that works out for you." He waved them through and once the door closed Samirah let out a shiver.

"We're in…" She breathed out.

"…And a step closer to Bastila." Carth agreed. She nodded as she pulled off her helmet to breathe. Carth did the same as the door opened and they stepped out. In front of them was a fight that had ensued between groups. Apparently these were the gangs in the lower part of Taris. They fought and yelled out at each other as each member slowly fell. It seemed they just happened to cross paths and apparently weren't happy about it.

Finally one side emerged victorious and turned to glared at Samirah and Carth.

"You Sith aren't welcome here! We've had enough with you and your kind! We'll rid the lower city of the Beks and we'll rid the lower city of you! Vulkars, attack!" They immediately readied their weapons and charged at Carth and Samirah who had only seconds to pull out their weapons. Samirah grabbed her vibroblade and leapt at the closest one, clashing blades with him.

Carth pulled out his blaster and began to fire at the Vulkars that were behind him. He was able to drop one just as Samirah sliced through her opponent and darted for the next one. She was so deeply focused on battle that she almost looked different to Carth. Normally she was sweet, kind and cute but when she was in battle, she turned focused, deadly and agile. Almost like a completely different woman.

When Samirah sliced through the final Vulkars abdomen, she knelt down to check his pockets before stepping back. She quickly slipped out of the Sith uniform and quickly pulled her vest on over her clothes. She wasn't able to fit it under the uniform so she had to opt for the next best thing. Carth followed suit, taking off the uniform and stuffing it into his bag and pulling on his own burnt orange jacket. It was a miracle that the suit even fit into the bags in the first place!

"It seems we're more likely to be attacked down here, dressed as Sith than anything else." She stated, fixing her vibroblade on her back. When she glanced up she saw a door that led to what she guess were apartments. They looked like the ones in the upper city… except older and less pristine.

When they were set and ready to go they began walking down the corridor until they found a Rodian bouncer standing outside a door. He looked them up and down before speaking.

"Don't cause any trouble in Javyar's cantina. You leave your problems and your attitude at the door." Samirah nodded respectfully at him before he looked away to watch the hall and they entered quietly.

"Jeez... they don't take you at face value, do they?"

"No, they sure don't." She agreed as they walked in to see everyone minding their own. It was different than the Cantina in the Upper City.

When they arrived at the center, Samirah threw her hand out to stop Carth from moving forward. He glanced at her before looking out to see three aliens approach a man to their left. He looked up at them through his goggles and his face remained neutral along with his voice.

"Go away."

"Hey, you not talk like that. We just want to say hi to big, bad bounty hunter Calo Nord!" The Rodian said.

"Nah, this can't be Calo Nord. He's supposed to be tough. This guy's nothing but a runt." One Twi'lek said.

"One." Calo counted.

"One? What that mean? You be funny, tough guy?" The Rodian spoke. Samirah's arm tightened as Carth glanced at her face. Her face was watching intently, like she was expecting something.

She didn't like the feeling she was receiving from the man. He lifted his cup to sip his drink as the others continued to act superior… oblivious to the deadly aura he gave off.

"You know who we are, Calo? We're members of the Black Vulkar gang! You don't want to be getting funny with us, tough guy." The Twi'lek stated smugly.

"Two."

The Rodian scratched his head. "Me no understand. One? Two? Why he count? He trying to count how many of us is against him?" He shrugged before the Twi'lek lifted his head, trying to look smug. Samirah shook her head, as if trying to nonverbally warn them. That wasn't a smart idea… apparently they weren't getting the hint.

"It's three against one, Calo. What do you think about those odds? Well? You have something more to say?"

"Three." He finished flatly before he threw a flash grenade and Samirah quickly averted her eyes to avoid the blast. When she heard three shots, her eyes darted back to the scene in front of her. The three aliens lay dead and Calo Nord was walking in her direction. He stopped in front of her as if waiting for her to move. She measured him up before he spoke.

"One." Carth froze wondering if she was going to move or attack. For a moment, she remained firm, staring at him with intent eyes. He breathed easily when she stepped aside with a smile and he smirked.

"Smart." He walked past them and out the door.

"What was that about?" Carth wondered out loud but the only response Samirah gave him was a shrug as she stared at the door where Calo exited. When she finally moved again, she moved to a table and sat down and Carth merely frowned at her.

"What are you doing?" She looked up at him and motioned for him to sit and then waited for him to comply. When he did she shrugged.

"I don't really know. Last time I sat at a Cantina, the information I needed just walked right up to me so I'm thinking it might do so again." He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Are you serious? That was only luck, you can't expect—"A commotion to their side caught their attention.

"—I told you to leave me alone—so give me some space, bug-eye! Your breath smells like bantha poodoo!" The Rodian scoffed at her and Samirah had sat up straight and leaned almost out of her chair, ready to leap.

"Little girl should not be in bar. This no place for little girl. If little girl smart, she run away home now." The Twi'lek girl glared at him.

"Who you calling a little girl, Chuba-face!" She spat.

"Little girl needs lesson in manners!" She smirked at them and held up a finger. They paused, puzzled as she smirked.

"Just a sec, boys. Zaalbar… a little help here? I need you to rip the legs off some insects." Their eyes widened as their gaze shot over to the Wookiee sitting at the table. He groaned as a bartender placed a plate of food in front of him.

"Mission—I'm busy. They just brought my food!" She rolled her eyes.

"Quit complaining… you can finish eating later. Besides, you need the exercise so get over here." He groaned but stood up and walked to stand next to her, glaring at the Rodian who fidgeted. Apparently, he pointed his frustration at the Rodian's for disrupting his meal.

"We no want trouble with Wookiee. Our problem with you, little girl." She glared again at the Rodian when he said _little girl._

"You got a problem with me? Then you got a problem with Big Z. So unless you want to take on my furry friend, I suggest you greenies…" She pointed at them before mimicking a hopping gesture. "… Hop on out of here." They mumbled to themselves before walking away."

"…Little girl lucky she has big friend." That made her smile. Carth then noticed Samirah stand up and walk over to her. She was impressed.

"You had me worried for a moment there." The Twi'lek looked over at her with a smile.

"I had it under control… it's not the first time someone's tried to pick a fight." Finally, she took a good look at Samirah and pondered for a moment. "Say, I don't recognize you and I know pretty much everyone in the Lower City. You must be new down here. Well, I guess that makes me and Big Z your official welcoming committee!" Samirah smiled at her.

"You speak Galactic basic, that's pretty rare." Samirah said. She was again, impressed by this girl.

"It's not that strange. Most can but they prefer their own language. I grew up on Taris so I just sort of got used to speaking the native tongue." Carth stood behind Samirah and was a little impressed himself.

"You showed a lot of guts dealing with those Vulkars, kid. You got a name?" She smirked happily.

"Mission Vao and this big Wookiee is my best friend, Zaalbar."

"A Wookiee and a Twi'lek being best friends? Sounds like an interesting story there." Mission looked up at Zaalbar.

"What can I say; we kind of fell in together. I had the street smarts he needed, and he had the strength I needed. We fit in together and looked out for each other. I wouldn't dream of replacing him." He roared his agreement as Samirah laughed. Mission turned back to Samirah.

"What about you? What's your name?"

"I'm Samirah Alda and this is… Carth Onasi." She paused before saying his name and he wondered to himself why.

"Good to meet you. If you ever need any information, feel free to ask or come find us at the Hidden Bek base, not the _Vulkars._ I got the scoop on everything in Lower Taris. Gangs, Davik Kang, Undercity, and even Calo Nord._" _Samirah's face lit up at the word _Undercity _and she laughed. Jackpot.

"Will do. Good-bye, Mission, we should hopefully meet again soon. We may have a request for the Hidden Beks." She raised an eyebrow at her but shrugged it off before turning to Zaalbar.

"Alright Big Z, let's get out of here."

"B-but Mission, I haven't even finished my food yet!" He seemed shocked at the idea of leaving his food there while Mission rolled her eyes.

"Can't you think of anything else other than your stomach? We'll find something good to eat at the Beks." Zaalbar groaned but complied with her wishes. As they left, Mission waved to Samirah who smiled warmly in her direction. Samirah liked Mission, a lot. She seemed like a good kid.

They sat back down at the table and Samirah could feel Carth staring at her. When she looked at him, sure enough, he was staring a little bewildered.

"What?"

"Never thought I'd meet someone with so much luck. Information really does just walk up right to you… or something like that, anyway." She laughed.

"What can I say, luck's just on my side." They ordered some drinks and sat there in silence for a while, not saying much of anything. Carth knew she was acting her usual self but it was awkward and just that… acting. When he looked at her again, he saw her casting glances at him.

"Alright... I know you want to talk." He said and she kept her eyes down. Of course she wanted to talk but did he? Probably not seeing as how he was the distrustful one. She bit her lip, mentally debating whether or not to talk to him but she finally decided that nothing would be fixed if she didn't.

"Fine. Yes, I do. I want to discuss something with you." She swirled her drink but her eyes were on him. He sighed before leaning back.

"Fair enough. What do you want to discuss?" Though, he already had a good idea what it was.

"I want to discuss these issues you seem to have with me." She spoke softly and as politely as she could muster.

He sighed before rubbing his face. "I knew you wouldn't understand where I was coming from. Let me try to explain. You're probably one of the most skilled women I've ever met. You've saved my butt more than once and I'm lucky you're here to help me, no question." She scoffed when he said that last part and he knew she didn't believe him.

"Yeah… apparently that isn't enough…" She mumbled and he ignored her.

"That aside, it doesn't mean I'm going to stop watching you or being wary. I'm just not built that way. Period." He put a little more venom in that last part then he had intended because she suddenly glared at him.

"Why are you so hostile? As far as I can tell, I haven't tried to kill you in your sleep! I've gone out of my way to do whatever I could to help out, the last thing on my mind is betrayal, Carth. What did I do to deserve this?" It was an honest question and it deserved an honest answer. One she could tell would be hard for him to answer. She didn't let her glare down. She wasn't about to let this go. Carth rubbed the back of his head.

"You… uh, well you haven't done anything _yet. _But there's no guarantee that you won't do anything in the future. I've been betrayed before by people and I… well, it won't happen again." He said it into his cup as he stared at the liquid inside. She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated.

"Of course it won't happen again if you never trust anyone! What do I have to do to get you to trust me? Save you from a burning building? Secure world peace? Bring back the dead—Well tough luck, I can't do that! Damn it, Carth, I just can't!" She tried to stop from shouting so they didn't draw attention… and she was trying hard not to get all teary eyed.

He rubbed his face. No. That wasn't it. He knew he was making this hard for her… but it wasn't easy for him to let go. If he could fix everything…

"… I don't want you to bring back the dead… hell, If I could, I would give up anything for that but even if you could—"

"—Then what do you want from me! What am I supposed to do…" She pleaded.

Carth frowned at her. He crossed his arms as he stared at her.

"Look… I'm not trying to insult you. This is just the way I am, no need to take it personally." She jumped up so fast the chair screeched under her and she slammed her hands on the table, shocking not only Carth but a few people walking by. Okay… forget being emotional, that last part did it. She was angry.

"Trying not to insult me? No need to take it personally? Oh, now you care? Now, you want to start throwing out some disclaimers so that you can look at least half decent in my eyes? Like hell! Don't you tell me to not take it personally, you—you—you hairless Wookiee!" She shouted at him. She didn't want to be mean to him, but she couldn't help it now. He was contradicting himself so much and she was tired of it.

"Hairless Wookiee? Alright, sister, just… just… just calm down before your head explodes." She laughed but it wasn't because she thought it was funny. It was out of frustration. A couple people behind them kept taking glances in their direction, curious if a fight was about to erupt. If they were lucky, a fist fight even.

Their money wasn't on Carth either.

"Really? Glad you're _worried!_ Glad you're finally taking some time out of your busy schedule to worry about me. Really, I'm ecstatic. Can't you tell? You must be the most—" She stopped short and then continued again. "We'll just see whose head explodes, you ungrateful monkey-lizard!" Carth raised an eyebrow at her before leaning forward.

"Is that your idea of an insult? Come on, sister, take your best shot." He taunted. She narrowed her eyes at him. Was he really going to go there? How about when she knocked his block off, would he still be taunting her then? Damn it, why couldn't she just throw stuff at him? The cup, the plates… the chair… maybe a Rodian.

"You think you're cute, don't you? You know, I wouldn't taunt someone unless you were sure you could handle them in a fight you drooling Bomarr cast-off!" Some people behind them snickered at their little quarrel but Samirah paid them no attention. Her focus was all on Carth.

"Oh, ouch. Doubting my fighting skills _and_ calling me a _drooling Bomarr cast-off?_ I think you hurt my man-feelings with that one." He chuckled and she simply remained glaring at him, her fists balled up.

"Don't patronize me." Her voice was low. If it wasn't for the fact that they were _supposed_ to be on the same side, she would have hit him by now.

"Wouldn't think of it." This time, he really sounded sincere and like he meant it and that made Samirah relax a little bit. She took a deep breath and just looked at him. "Feel better now?" She thought for a moment before sitting down but still glaring at him.

"Maybe a little." She said, not really wanting to admit it, but knowing that she really did. Though, she still wanted to just hit him really hard and was sure she would find a way to _accidentally_ do so.

"Good. Then maybe we can talk reasonably about this. All I've been trying to say is that this isn't personal. If you were smart, you wouldn't trust anyone, either… not me, not Bastila and especially not yourself." Her face fell and she looked down at her cup.

"I wouldn't want to live like that." She spoke quietly but loud enough for him to hear. Not trusting anyone was a hard life as a scout and usually was how she lived unfortunately.

For her, it was because she was scared too… and didn't really have anyone to trust. The first person she really ever trusted was Trask… and look where that got him. She didn't want to live not trusting people and she had trusted people but as a scout… you never stayed in contact for fear of jeopardizing her conquests and such.

"Not all of us have the luxury of a choice. I'm conditioned this way, sorry." He said it bitterly but the message was clear to her. She sparked up again.

"So leave, then. Why do you need me? What good is a person you can't trust? Be on your own, it's obviously what you want, Carth. You don't need me. You don't need anyone. You've made that message quite clear to me so why don't you just go then… the door is over there."She nodded her head in the direction, feeling surprising bitter toward Carth. Again… he brought the worst out of her. He looked at her, shocked by the small hint of venom in her voice. She was capable of that too?

"It's not what I want, I have a duty and I intend to see it through. The galaxy's in danger and I want to save it… that's what I want! Why is whether or not I trust you or anyone so damned important to you? Why… why do you even care?" This time she looked at him shocked.

"Because everyone needs someone they can trust. What's life without someone to confide in, someone who you could bring to a fight and know that they would have your back. I want to be that person, I want people to be able to trust me and I want to, if even for a little bit, be able to make a difference." She looked at him with determination. "I care because to me, it's important. It may not be to you, but damn it Carth…" She stopped trying to collect her thoughts, frustration and anger. She was tired of this.

He looked at her, surprised before looking away.

"We don't have time for this. Can we please just… drop it? For now? Can we pick it up later if you really must, I… want to get underway." When he looked at her again, she was no longer looking at him but away from him. She looked… hurt.

Again. Again he sealed up. Again he wanted to ignore everything. The conversation ended the same way they always did. Maybe she just needed to leave. When they were clear from here she was going to just leave. He can deal with his own insecurities without her… he obviously didn't need her around and obviously didn't want her around either. How could he when he contradicted his every statement. He was just using her to get Bastila out safely.

And if that helped the republic then fine. She would do it and then she would leave for some other star system… Bakura, Xcorpon, Horuset… somewhere, anywhere.

"Fine." She mumbled as she stood up and left the Cantina, leaving Carth to trail behind her. He wasn't sure where they were going but he was just going to follow her as they left. She wasn't exactly happy with the end of the conversation, like with most. She walked out of the Cantina and paused in the hallway. She then turned, going back the way they had come when a thought occurred to her.

She was sure she had seen an apartment complex when they entered. Maybe they could find another abandoned apartment... somewhere they could stay while down here. She wasn't tired yet but she was sick of Carth and his constant babble of not trusting her. How much more of it was she going to have to endure before she could depart and be on her own again.

She did want someone to trust and she didn't want to be alone but what was she supposed to do? She didn't want a pity party but when you put it into perspective: There were only two people she really, honestly trusted and neither one of them were still alive. Trask Ulgo and her flight captain, Devron Uhdea. Was that an omen or something? The only other person she was attempting to trust was the one person who vowed to never trust a human being again…

This wasn't exactly what she was aiming for when she agreed to this mission, damn it!

For now, she tried to focus on saving Bastila and that was proving to be something hard to focus on. She was sure that this wasn't going to be smooth sailing and she silently pleaded to the stars that she make it through this without killing Carth… and she was 85% sure that she wouldn't do it.

Okay, maybe 70%...

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**Thanks for reading guys and if you've stayed dedicated this far- Give yourself a big hug for me because you guys are officially my heroes for reading thus far (even though its only chapter 4 out of like... a billion... I don't know lol)**

**If you guys can, let me know what you think and if your enjoying it thus far. If you're wanting to see more of something or just want to through a comment my way, please do! I appreciate anything you have to say- it means you're reading! ^-^ **

**Thanks again and I should update the next chapter soon- it's already written but just needs to be proof read and edited.**

**SilverShards **


	6. Chapter 5: Taking Chances

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or KOTOR but if George Lucas would like to share the rights, then I would love it and gladly accept it. Just call me. **

**Well, here's another story, probably the longest one yet. Hopefully, you guys will enjoy this chapter!**

**So, i'll stop talking and let you read! Enjoy guys!**

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**Taking Chances**

When she approached the double doors leading to the seemingly abandoned apartments, she walked in and glanced around the hallway before slowly venturing out. She was trying to be cautious since she felt uneasy in the pit of her stomach.

A couple of Vulkars walked out of an apartment the passed by and they smiled when they saw Samirah and Carth. They swung their blades and charged for them as Samirah pulled her blade out. Not missing a beat, she jumped in to fight them and almost fit perfectly into the fight. As soon as she and Carth defeated them, they moved on as practically all the door had Vulkars behind them. She grimaced as she had defeated the third or fourth group of Vulkars—she lost count—she came to a locked door.

"Oh, for the love of—"She began splicing the door.

"Samirah, what are you doing?" Carth asked, a little worried.

"Well we've practically opened every door! Might as well keep going, besides, this one looks abandoned—"The door opened as she smiled triumphantly until a voice shouted out at her.

"Hey—you can't come in here. This is a private apartment!" She stared at the Twi'lek who stood there.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked before she could stop herself. She mentally kicked herself again for speaking so rudely before trying to amend it. "This place looks abandoned... I didn't think anyone would be living in here…" She asked curiously. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"None of your business. Just turn around and go back the way you came, if you know what's good for you." Carth raised an eyebrow at the threat, wondering if he was the first Vulkar to actually speak to them.

"Come on, Samirah. Obviously he wants to be left alone…" Carth mumbled as he reached for her arm to pull her out. She avoided his reach, her eyes still on the Twi'lek.

Samirah only watched him for a few seconds longer, making him feel slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. He was fidgeting and kept making nervous glances at her and at the hallway behind her. He couldn't really sit still.

"You're nervous." She said it matter-of-factly, not as a question. "Are you… In some sort of trouble? Do you want to talk about it?" His tough guy façade faltered and Carth realized she had hit the nail.

"I… I guess I could tell you. You'll probably find out on your own eventually, anyway." He sighed, sitting down in a chair. "Zax is giving his bounties away like candy, or so I hear. My name's Matrik—I used to work for the Exchange, but all the violence and killing… it just started to get to me. I couldn't take it anymore and I knew what I was doing was wrong, so… I turned state's evidence."

"That's very brave… that must have taken a lot of courage." She said in amazement, but Matrik just laughed dryly.

"Yeah… brave. My testimony helped put some of the biggest criminals on Taris away for life. But Davik didn't like seeing his friends go down, so now he's got a bounty on my head." He placed his head in his hands. She knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"A bounty?" he nodded.

"I've holed myself up here… trying to avoid being caught…"

"Is there any way I can help?" He laughed again, and again it held no humor.

"I don't think there's much anyone could do and I'm getting sick of running. I've decided that I'm just going… to make my stand right here. I'm staying here until some bounty hunter finds me and kills me for the credits." He sighed looking more hopeless than Samirah would like to see.

She thought to herself for a moment, before looking at her bag and then back at Matrik. Carth noticed that look she had as the plan formulated in her mind and she smiled. She pulled her bag off her shoulders, placing it on the floor and began rummaging through it.

"Have you thought about… faking your own death?" He looked at her, curiously.

"I've thought about it. I even came up with a plan of how to do it. But I can't pull it off while I'm holed up in here."

"Go on." She urged, searching her pockets before standing up and looking through her vest pockets. He nodded hesitantly, watching her still. Carth was also curious as to what she was up too.

"Well, the trick is getting Davik to believe it when there's no body found at the scene. If it looks like I died in a massive explosion, he won't be suspicious when my corpse never turns up. If I had an accomplice go back and tell Davik that they were the one who set off the explosion to eliminate me, I think I'd be home free." Samirah frowned when she had checked all her vest pockets and then moved on to her belt.

"I have some demolitions experience from my own days in the Exchange so I could set it all up. But I'd need to get my hands on a—"Samirah smiled excitedly as she pulled a small device from her bag and Matrik stared at her in surprise. "—a Permacrete detonator! How did you-?" He couldn't believe she had one. She shrugged.

"I've had some experience in demolitions myself. I remember this one time on Nam Chorios where I had to escape from a—"She stopped short, smiling meekly. "Never mind, point is I met some people who taught me to rig up the explosives I needed. I think this will do the job quite nicely." He examined the detonator and smiled.

"Yes, this should do the trick. There won't be anything left of this apartment but some scorching on the walls after we set this bad boy off!" He and Samirah quickly set to work, rigging the explosives and setting everything up. Carth watched, amazed at her skill. No wonder she was recruited for the mission, she had a wide range of skills that would come in handy... especially now. They finally stood up after tweaking the final touch and started running to the hall.

"The timer's set! Now let's get out of here before it blows!" They started running and Samirah stopped short as fear struck her. She forgot it! She spun around to see she had left her bag sitting in the middle of the floor. _Damn!_ She darted across the room to get the bag. Matrik saw her run and shouted to her. "No! You don't have time!"

Carth was already in the hallway and had turned to see her grab the bag. She spun around and ran as the explosives went off. She pushed her legs to run faster as the force of the explosion sent her flying through the door way, her arms wrapped around the bag. Carth quickly moved so that he caught her before she hit floor, sliding under her to cushion her fall. She slammed into him, knocking him back. They didn't move for a few moments

Smoke rolled out of the apartment and into the hallway. Electrical wires dangled and sparked where they had been ripped form walls and the ceiling. Everyone coughed as the smoke began to clear up and they could actually see the damage the bomb had caused in the apartment. A part of the ceiling had collapsed in front of the door, blocking anyone from entering… or leaving. If Samirah hadn't made it out in time, she wouldn't have been able to come out at all. Carth quickly glanced down at the form on top of him as he finally found his voice.

"Samirah!" He tried to sit up and positioned her so that she was still leaning against him. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she slowly opened them to look up at Carth with a smile. She looked a little disoriented but after a moment and blinking her eyes a few times, she seemed fine… for the most part. She was covered in soot with smudges on her face and her clothes had a few singes, but nothing that seemed to have seriously injured her.

"I… I got it…" She breathed. When she looked at him, she was startled when he just looked at her, angry. Wasn't she supposed to be the one still angry at him?

"What were you thinking? You—You could have been killed!" She positioned herself so that she was sitting up as Carth moved to let her. She showed him the bag and smiled sadly at him before looking back at the bag.

"I can't let this go yet… no, not yet. I haven't repaid my debt to _him_." Her eyes stung but she still smiled at Carth. She wasn't going to cry, of course not. What a silly thing to do. They still had too much to do and people to save. She could ponder on it later.

"_Debt_?" Carth looked at her, confused as Matrik walked up to them. He was astonished at the small girl before him. Risking all that for a simple bag?

"You are quite the character miss…?" She looked up at him with her ash covered face and clothes, almost like a child.

"Samirah Alda, at your service. That was some blast and… I do believe I've killed you, Matrik. May you're soul rest in peace..." She winked at him and he smiled.

"I'm not one for long goodbyes but I want to say thanks. If it wasn't for you, I'd be a dead man… literally speaking. But now I won't have to worry about Bounty Hunters anymore and its all thanks to you. So good luck, Samirah Alda, and goodbye. I'm out here, now that I'm_ dead_, it's best if people don't see me."He smiled and it was a peaceful, serene smile. A smile she hoped no one could take away from him now that he was… free. Free from Davik and free from the hunters.

"The same to you, Matrik. I'll inform Davik of your untimely _demise." _He nodded with a smile before he jogged away. Carth stood up and helped Samirah up, looking her over for any injuries that he may not have seen the first time. He tried to dust her off and clean her face but she fidgeted too much and swatted his hand away... again, just like a child.

"You know, of all the people I've met, I don't think I've met someone as crazy and brash as you. What would you have done if you died?" He chastised. She shrugged.

"I don't know… maybe be dead." She laughed but he didn't find it funny. "Come on, Carth. I'm fine, that's all that matters."

He frowned. If only it were that easy.

She pulled her backpack on to her back and just smiled at him. He had to admit, she looked like a little cute kid with her ash covered face and that silly little grin of hers. She pulled out her hair time and fixed her ponytail, checking for any singed pieces of hair. Her bangs fell lightly on her forehead as she tightened her ponytail.

Carth shook his head. Unbelievable.

"Alright, come on, as far as we can tell, this apartment is the Vulkars hang out and where a large, inconvenient explosion occurred." He said as she smiled and agreed before they exited the apartments.

They started walking and passed the cantina, ignoring the Rodian's startled look at her appearance as they passed by. She bit her bottom lip, hoping it didn't attract too much attention and she was sure to clean up as soon as she got the chance. When they approached another woman standing outside the door, Samirah approached the door and the woman threw her arm out to stop them.

"Hold on there, you think you can walk right into the Hidden Bek base?" She raised an eyebrow at Samirah.

"This is the Hidden Bek base? That's fantastic… I'm looking for a Mission Vao. She said the Beks could help me." The woman rolled her eyes.

"That Mission is so trusting of outsiders. How do I know you're not a spy?" Samirah gestured to herself.

"I assure you, if I were a spy, I would come looking a little more blended in and not sticking out like a Sith Lord at a Jedi Enclave. Besides, I could prove to be an ally." The woman appraised her before nodding.

"Fine, go in. It's not like you can do much anyway, especially with Zaerdra inside." She motioned for them to enter and Samirah was happy to oblige. As they entered the door, Samirah saw as Beks ran from side to side. They seemed a little frantic. A man behind a desk was writing vigorously and talking quickly to people.

She walked to the desk and the Twi'lek next to him stepped in her path.

"Who are you and what do you want with Gadon?" Samirah looked over at the man as he looked up from his desk. She saw his eyes and was instantly intrigued by the ring in his crystal blue eyes... a sign of prosthetic eyes. Somehow, somewhere, he had damaged his eyes and required the aid of prosthetics to see.

"This is Gadon Thek? The man Mission spoke of? Thank the stars… I came to ask for his help." He stood up straight and waved Zaerdra away. She started to protest and when he shot her a meaningful look, she stopped.

"Let them through, Zaerdra. No one would be foolish enough to try anything in the middle of our own base." Carth shot a glance at Samirah wondering if she was willing to do such a thing if it was for a good cause. Would she attack someone in the middle of their own base? Just by looking at her… he was pretty sure he was.

He was almost positive if the conditions were right.

"We will not start attacking people at first sight like the Vulkars do, so let them by. They've come to us for help, right?" Samirah nodded and Zaerdra let them threw but not before she made sure the two knew she was watching.

"How can I help?" She approached him at his desk, aware of Zaerdra's eyes on her and the battle ready stance she took.

"I was told you could help me out. Do you have any information on the Republic escape pods that crashed in the Undercity?"He looked at her puzzled.

"I had heard that the Sith were asking around in the Upper City about them… But you don't look like a Sith." Zaerdra broke in, unable to sit idly by.

"A spy?"

"No, no, Zaerdra, they wouldn't send a spy. They aren't that patient. If the Sith had suspicions they would just come busting through blindly, not knocking on our door. No, this offworlder has her own agenda." She smiled at them both, genuinely.

"No, you don't have to worry. I'm not working for the Sith." The very idea.

"Well, the information can't harm us so why not. The Vulkars stripped those pods clean within hours after they landed. It's too bad we didn't get there first, considering what my spies reported the Vulkars found. A female Republic officer name Bastila survived the crash."

"Bastila!" Samirah said excitedly, startling Gadon. "Where is she! Is she safe! Is she here! Has anything—"

"Slow down there, friend…Unfortunately Bastila isn't here, that's for sure. We don't believe in intergalactic slavery but the Vulkars aren't like us in that—"

"Wait. Did you just say… _intergalactic slavery…?_" She stared at him horrified and he just nodded.

"Yes, I did. They took her prisoner." The wheels spinning in her head went into overdrive. _Bastila _and _Intergalactic Slavery_ weren't not exactly the words she wanted to hear in the same sentence. She was pretty sure they went against the laws of the universe or something as well.

She was a Jedi, was she allowed to be a slave? Forget that, was she allowed to be _captured!_ Samirah turned to look at Carth who had praised her abilities, her leadership, and well… praised her. She stared at him with eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. She didn't know what to say and this was _definitely _not what she planned. Things had just gotten that much more complicated. Carth just looked at her, just as shocked and shrugged. She looked back at Gadon trying to remain as neutral and calm as humanly possible.

"What… becomes of her now, then?"

"Well, since she's an officer, that's a rare catch." Carth leaned in to Samirah and whispered to her.

"_If they still think she's an officer, that could work to our advantage." _She nodded as Gadon continued, not really caring about their hushed tones.

"He plans on offering her up as a prize for the swoop race championship. He thinks that by doing so, all the smaller gangs in the lower city will join up with him and they will try and take us down. If they join together, we won't stand a chance." Samirah looked down thoughtfully, rolling the new information around in her head.

"Bastila will be in their base…" She said quietly earning a puzzled look from Gadon. Carth already knew what she was planning, he could see the gears turning in her head.

"Now, hold on just a second there, Samirah Alda." She turned to look at Carth and saw his disapproving look. She frowned.

"What?" He crossed his arms.

"I know what you're thinking and no. You're not breaking into their base, it would be suicide." Gadon cleared his throat and they looked at him with his raised eyebrow.

"Brejik wouldn't keep her in the base, she's too valuable. No, he'll keep her safe until the big swoop race. She's the main prize after all." Carth look relieved for the moment while a frown replaced whatever plan had begun to form in her head.

"Then… Gadon, can you help us? I want to win that swoop race to get her back. It's _crucial_ that we save her…" He looked her up and down, measuring her up to her words before finally deciding he could actually help her.

"Alright, I think I can help you, but you'll have to help me in return in order for it to work." For a moment, she didn't say anything. More favors? Guess she could handle that. She was determined, after all, to do whatever was necessary to get Bastila back. When she nodded to him, he continued.

"You see, the Vulkars stole our prototype accelerator from us and they plan to use it in the race to win back their own prize and the smaller gangs. We need it. It isn't finished and we need to run some tests. It's the edge we need to win the race but since they have it… well that just can't happen. We can't allow them to win the big swoop race." Samirah nodded.

"And you want me to break in and get it back, right?" He smiled.

"Smart girl. Yes, if you could break in and steal it back then I will sponsor you in the upcoming swoop race. I'll even let you ride the swoop bike with the accelerator installed." He added and She smiled. The window she needed had opened up. And she still got to break in to the base. That was a plus.

"Gadon, you can't be serious! We need our best riders on that bike!" Zaerdra interjected more than simply surprised... She was outraged that Gadon was taking such a gamble. Carth seemed to agree to a certain degree with her as she spoke.

"Wait just a second here, why would you let her drive the one chance you had to win?" Gadon sighed before looking at Samirah.

"I need to be honest with you, the accelerator is unstable. During the race it could… well it could overheat and explode on the track. I've been trying to find a way to work it where none of my Beks get hurt, our numbers are so thinned as it is." Carth couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"What, so you're just—"Samirah stuck her hand out to Gadon who looked at her shocked making Carth pause in his outburst. Surely she wasn't serious. Surely, she wasn't going to accept the task when the odds were against her.

"Deal, how do I get in?"

And then again, maybe she was.

She was determined to get Bastila back, whatever the cost to herself. Carth could not believe it either. What risks was she _not_ willing to take?

"Oh, what, you're not just going to ring the door bell and ask for it back with a smile? Maybe you can bring some gifts while you're at it." She turned and glared at Carth who didn't like the plan one bit. Gadon chuckled at the sarcastic remark.

"She could try but I doubt they would just hand it over like that. In fact, I'm willing to bet they have it guarded. No, I don't advise going in through the front door. Personally, I don't know how to get you in at all—but I think I know someone who has the knowhow. If she doesn't know how to get in, I seriously doubt anyone can. Her name's Mission Vao." Samirah and Carth looked at him with startled expressions as Zaerdra made her presence known again.

"Mission? She's just a child Gadon! You can't seriously—"He looked at her, a little annoyed. Samirah seemed only slightly annoyed by her outbursts.

"Mission has explored every part of the Undercity and knows it better than any of us. The fact that she even has the _courage_ to explore down there is beyond me." He turned to look at Samirah again. "Find her and you'll have your way in." Samirah glanced around the room before looking back at Gadon, confused. Well… that was kind of the other reason she was even here.

"Is she not here? She said I would be able to find her here." He nodded

"She usually is but as I said, she likes to explore. You can usually find her and her Wookiee friend, Zaalbar exploring in the Undercity and—"He was cut short by a shout from the door.

"GADON!" They all turned to see the very girl they talked about, Mission, running frantically up to them. "You have to help me! You just have to!"

"Calm down, Mission. What happened?" She tried to take deep breaths but was too impatient.

"They took him! They took him and now they're going to sell him into slavery! We gotta go get him!" Gadon frowned as Samirah spoke.

"Who? Zaalbar? What happened to him?"

"Gamorrean slavers took him! We were in the Undercity exploring like we always do when they ambushed us. They—they were waiting for us! Zaalbar told me to run and so… so I did, thinking he was following me… but they got him and… I left him there! I just left him there! We have to go back!" She turned to Gadon. "Can you help me?" Gadon knitted his eyebrows together, rubbing his forehead, conflicted.

"Mission… I don't have the men to spare… between the Sith and the Vulkars… I have no one to send to help you." Mission looked frantically to Samirah, tears brimming her eyes.

"Can you help me, please!" She looked ready to cry. Samirah placed her hands on both sides of her shoulders and smiled as gently as she could.

"We'll get Zaalbar back. No Gamorrean slavers are going to take him, I promise." Her face lit up with relief as she hugged Samirah tightly. "Mission, do you think you could then help us into the Vulkar base once we save him?"

"Yeah, sure, anything! I'll help you do anything, just help me save Zaalbar." Samirah nodded before looking at Gadon.

"We have Sith Uniforms, will that get us down to the Undercity?" He shook his head.

"No, you'll need the security papers and lucky for you, we jumped a Sith patrol who… well, lets just say they never made it down. Teach them to interfere with us." Samirah grinned. "I'll trade you for the Sith Uniforms. With the security papers, you won't need them anyway." Carth looked at them suspiciously.

"How do we know you're not just trying to trick us?" Samirah was the one who spoke up, annoyed that his _I don't trust anyone_ side decided to flare up again.

"They have just as much to gain as we do. It's not worth it to double cross us." Gadon nodded his head, agreeing with her.

"We need to win the swoop race just as much as you do."

"Thank you, Gadon. For all the help. We'll be back when we obtain the accelerator." She smiled at him and he nodded with a grin of his own.

"I'll be counting on that…"

With that, they traded items and then were off again, to find Zaalbar and break into the base. Samirah knew she needed to get some rest, her body was beginning to wear down on her but if she did that… who knows what would happen to Zaalbar.

Carth seemed to have the same thoughts as he followed them to the guard standing by the elevator. When she handed him her papers, he let them down, giving them the same warning about the Rakghouls as everyone else. He also chastised them for being so late, giving a funny look at Mission who tried to look older.

As he let them pass by, Mission walked with grace and stood between Carth and Samirah making it look as if she was the one in charge of the two. Samirah was grateful for the helmets and the guard's ignorance because she was grinning at Mission's eagerness to look like an adult.

Samirah had a lot more riding on her than she had started out with. In the beginning, all she had to worry about was surviving on the _Endar Spire. _Now, she had to worry about saving Bastila, saving Zaalbar and all the favors she had to do in order to get to her destination.

She still wished and hoped that she would wake up to find herself in her little cot on the _Silver Meridian_ and her only worry was that she had gotten lost in the depths of space. She had done that few times… She would program her coordinates for Ealor and somehow ended all the way over on Belsavis. Belsavis was nothing but an ice world with ruins dotted everywhere… not exactly a vacationing spot.

Unfortunately, right now, programming the wrong coordinates was the least of all her problems. She was tired and she was confused. Bastila was a Jedi! A force wielding, lightsaber trained, head full of wisdom, chin held high, and sparkled every time they graced you with their presence—Jedi! So how did she get caught? Was she unconscious? Was she close to death?

That was the only explanation. There was no way she would allow them to get her… right? She was better than that. She was a Jedi for Edge's sake! She had been training to be a Jedi since before she could walk, right? That was how they did things at least to Samirah's knowledge.

She was pretty sure that little hamster running on the wheel in her mind had died from exhaustion. Her mind was in overdrive trying to make sense of it all and to no avail.

As the elevator descended, she knew she was inching closer and closer to rescuing Bastila and Zaalbar. As the elevator descended, she was that much closer from freeing herself from everything. Each day she felt weighed down by all these seemingly impossible tasks. It went from simply finding Bastila to stealing a stolen accelerator so she could win a swoop race with the untested, unstable accelerator so that she could free Bastila from intergalactic slavery.

The plan to escape Taris hadn't even been a thought on her mind.

Great galactic stars, she felt how impossible that all sounded. Especially since she wasn't sure how good she was on a swoop bike. She couldn't remember her time on Nar Shaddaa as well as most things. She knew she had raced but she wasn't exactly sure how good she was… at this point; she could only hope everything worked out.

When the elevator doors finally opened in the Undercity, two guys waited for them asking for a toll of 5 credits. When Samirah asked them, they explained how they were outcast and were shunned from society, left to live a wretched life. Samirah felt bad for them before she handed them 20 credits which they accepted with pure joy, not even bothering to thank her before dashing away with their spoils.

"You sure do give credits away like candy…" Carth observed. He meant it as a compliment but when she narrowed her eyes at him he sighed. "Look, I was trying to be sincere." She laughed.

"Wow, Carth? Sincere? What, do you expect me to die either in the base or during the swoop race? These aren't my final hours, you know?" He frowned. She had become a little less nice, hadn't she… and yet, if that were the case, she wouldn't have just given away 20 credits. Mission glanced uneasily between the two, sensing the tension that seemed to be there.

Samirah stared straight ahead again, not wanting to look at Carth. She wasn't mad exactly, just frustrated. He would worry about the little things she did and couldn't trust her as far as his arms could reach. Well, she didn't need his approval, she just wanted to get Bastila and off this planet. She wanted to start her travels again and forget it all. She had fun when she was a scout; she lived where ever her mind was, whether it was a cave or a canopy.

There were so many things left for her to discover, more people willing to trust her at the drop of a hat to help them. She felt needed. She felt helpful. Here, she didn't. She felt like Carth didn't want her around, despite what he said about not wanting her to go. It was suffocating—not knowing what he really thought of her and if he just kept her around because he had no other choice.

What was the Jedi Council thinking? Why bring her here? She wanted to hurl a knife at a wall and tear a pillow into tiny pieces will all this frustration building up. What she needed, though, was to calm down and forget her own inner turmoil. She needed to focus on the mission and believe that she would be able to find Bastila and make her way out of here.

As they got closer, they heard yelling coming from a gate and without missing a beat, Samirah darted over, not really thinking but just doing. A woman was pleading to the guard to open the gate and he refused. She turned to the gate and shouted.

"Hurry Hendar, hurry! I can hear it coming!" she screamed.

"He'll never make it. He's doomed."The gateman seemed to be panicking and wasn't about to take any risks. "Argh! I told him not to leave the village!"

"He _will _make it! Run, Hendar! RUN!" She screamed, grasping the gate and shaking it as if that simple act alone would wield some kind of power that would allow him to get through. Tears streaked her face as she screamed for him.

The man stumbled as he ran, tripping over rocks in his rush, but he kept on his feet. As he got close to the gate he shouted.

"Open the gate! Quickly, there isn't much time!" The gateman glanced behind him as sweat beaded his forehead. He was afraid and he shook his head to say no.

"I—I can't! The—The Rakghouls are too close, it's useless now!" The man reached the gate and was now grasping the gate alongside the woman. Their fingers entwined with the cold metal of the gate.

"The mutants will kill him if you don't open the gate! Please, I'm begging you!" The woman screamed. Samirah was now standing next to the gateman, catching her breath.

"And if I open the gate they will kill us all!"

"No, you can't do this, it isn't fair!" She cried, falling to her knees, shaking uncontrollably, her fingers still holding on above her head. Hendar's eyes were filled with fear, the fear of dying, the fear of leaving his wife… the fear of her alone.

"Open the gate and let _me_ out." Everyone's eyes turned to Samirah as she pulled out her vibroblade. "Open the gate!" The gateman didn't move but looked at her shocked. "I'll take care of them. I'll buy the time you need to get him inside, now open the gate and let me slip out! While I slip out, he can slip in so do _it!_" He nodded and opened it enough to let her slip out and she urged Hendar to hurry.

He jolted past her and slipped in through the small opening in the gate before closing it. He only let Samirah out and Carth was frustrated that he hadn't been able to get out too. Instead, Hendar got those last few seconds to get in. Everyone went quiet as they watched Samirah standing in the middle as white creatures ran in her direction.

"Avoid their claws and fangs! They will poison you and turn you into one of them!" Hendar shouted out to her and she nodded from where she stood. In one hand she held her vibroblade and in the other a blaster. She shot several times at one of the Rakghouls, nailing him in the abdomen and killing him before he could even reach her.

She threw the gun aside when it became useless at their proximity. She dodged a swipe and brought the sword down on its arm as it screamed a terrifying shriek before sliding her blade into its abdomen. She yanked it out, not even sparing a glance at the form before she rolled out of the third ones reach, nearly missing his swipe. She attempted to create a distance between her and the creature but it wouldn't let her. She was left on the defensive as she blocked its attacks.

She didn't like being on the defensive. It hard a larger reach than she did and it was almost as quick as she was putting her at a disadvantage. She kept backing up, blocking each swipe and trying to avoid the rocky terrain beneath her. The creature continued to snarl and shriek at her making her flinch at the sound.

It was stronger than she thought and if she attempted a swing, she risked being poisoned... and worse. As she blocked, she quickly reached for a grenade stashed in her belt pocket and as the creature roared at her, tossed it into its wide open mouth. As she pulled back her hand brushed gently across its teeth before she did a back hand spring away from the creature as the grenade exploded flinging her a couple feet away. She tripped over a rock and rolled over as she covered her face to avoid any debris. When she looked up at the creatures, she was met with a puddle of flesh and pieces everywhere.

She breathed out shakily, thanking the stars that she lived through that. She didn't think when she jumped out there… she simply _acted _on the simple urge of wanting to save the man. The screams from the woman was all she needed before jumping into the fray. She glanced at her hand and fear rippled through her body as she stared at the spot where her hand had brushed against the teeth.

_Damn it! A scratch!_

She hadn't even felt it. It didn't fell like the creature had grazed her hand that deeply. She watched as a small trickle of blood fell from the spot and it sent a shiver down her spine. It broke the skin. That meant she was going to change if she didn't get her hands on a vile of serum.

What luck.

"Quickly! Before more come! Get through the gate!" She turned to see the frantic gateman, ushering her through, taking uneasy glances past her. She shakily wiped her hand on her shirt and hid the scratch the best she could. She picked up her blaster and ran over to them with the best neutral face she could muster.

When she stepped through, the gateman hastily closed the gate, locking it as the woman threw her arms around Samirah and sobbed.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you for saving Hendar!" the gateman was still watching her with wide eyes and suddenly he looked so ashamed. He could barely look her in the eyes.

"Thank you for saving him, up-worlder… You are braver than I. Maybe we Outcasts have lived too long in selfish fear." When the woman had let go of her, Samirah placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No, you did what you thought was right to protect your home. Your job must not be an easy one because their lives depend on your actions." He nodded thoughtfully at her, a small smile on his lips.

"Perhaps we can learn a lesson from your brave actions, then." She smiled before Hendar spoke up, still wheezing.

"I can't thank you enough for saving me, up-worlder. If I had anything but these rags on my back it would be yours… but we have nothing." The woman wrapped her arms around him, still trying to stop herself from crying but failing miserably.

"I still have you, Hendar! That's all I need..." She laid her head on his chest and looked at Samirah. "You saved my Hendar. You risked your own life to save him… I have nothing to give but my eternal gratitude for saving him." She looked back at Hendar with a smile. "Let's go back to the village." He nodded before they said their final farewell and thanks.

Samirah watched them walk away. She saved a life. The feeling that welled up inside her was… a good feeling. If she did indeed turn into a Rakghoul, it would have been worth it to save him—and she would kill herself before she transformed so it would still be a death that she would welcome.

Carth looked at her and finally let go of the breath he had been holding.

"I swear… you have to have a death wish or something." She looked over at him with a surprised look.

"A death wish?" He nodded.

"At a moment's notice, you through yourself into danger without thinking whether or not you'll make it through to see the end!" She frowned at him.

"And what makes you so sure." He pointed at the gate.

"There was no way you possibly thought about the outcome. We didn't even know what a Rakghoul looked like until now." The gateman's eyes widened at Carth's words, but Samirah ignored him.

"Yes, I did think about it Carth. I thought about how I would win and save that man's life. It was worth it." She rubbed at her hand but made sure it was inconspicuous so that she didn't draw attention to the scratch.

"You think—"Mission jumped in, her hands up in front of them. They had both forgotten that she was even there! She wasn't about to let them start bantering. She could see the tension that was welling up inside them.

"Whoa, whoa, I think you two just need to cool your jets, here! This is no time to be fighting!" Samirah nodded at her, thankfully.

"You're right… we need to find Zaalbar." She turned to the gateman. "Can you let us pass? If any Rakghouls appear as you open it, I swear not to leave it alive to harm you." The man nodded gratefully, trusting her words as he opened the door. She nodded her thanks to him before they were on their way.

They walked mostly in silence, Carth pondering on Samirah's brash actions, Mission worrying about Zaalbar and Samirah cursing herself for the scratch on her hand.

Carth could hardly believe her. Every move they made, she always surprised him around the corner. She wasn't just brash, she was willful and determined to get things done. She was also the most stubborn woman he had _ever_ met. He shook his head as he followed her towards whatever brash action she was sure to do.

And that was exactly what she had in mind. She was planning on jumping any Sith patrol they came across in hopes of acquiring Serum. If they only had one, she would instruct Carth and Mission to make sure it reached Zelka because she wasn't about to use it on herself when she could save others. If she found more… then she would be on the winning side of luck.

They had only been walking for a few minutes when a voice caught them off guard and Samirah thought she was going to lose her mind... guess they got the jump on her before they could.

"Hey, you there! Civilian!" She looked up to see a Sith Patrol Leader run up to her. "This is a restricted area! What are you doing down here?" Samirah found her security papers and lifted them for him to see.

"Look… I've got all the proper security papers so there's no need to shout at me, soldier." Carth was amazed at how official she could sound. It wasn't long ago that she blushed at every word that was said.

"Security papers?" He questioned before it clicked. "Oh… you're one of those trackers the Commander sent down, right? They should have given you an armed escort—it's nasty down here…" He glanced around as he spoke, making sure there were no surprise attacks. A few of his soldiers had followed him over to where they stood.

"We've already lost a patrol and we're running dangerously low on Rakghoul serum… in fact, I think we're out." The mention of serum caught her attention.

"Serum? Would your downed patrol still have some left?" He looked at her weirdly before answering.

"Uh, well, yeah. I suppose they would since they never had a chance to use it, but I don't think it's worth it to go." He looked at her again and a new thought occurred. "Wait, are you here for a search and rescue? I didn't think they would send anyone. Well, they were in the southern section of the Undercity when we lost contact."

"Southern? Understood. Why don't you guys get out of here before you end up the same as—"

"—Hey, I'd never disobey my orders." Even though he sounded offended, she could tell he wanted nothing more than to leave. She understood the feeling. "I'm not a fan of court martial's and executions. I was just talking, you know? Come on patrol, let's get this over with so we can get out of here." He waved for them to follow before they headed out.

Carth watched them until they were gone before turning to Samirah, ready to say something when he noticed her intent gaze in the south and that look on her face—she was forming a plan.

"Samirah, what are you planning?"

"Why don't you guys stay here while I run to check the patrol." Carth gaped at her. Was she crazy? "It won't take me long to scope out the patrol and—"

"—Do you honestly expect us to wait her for you?" She turned to look at him and he just glared at her. "You always run off to where ever danger is!"

She grimaced. She didn't have time for this… if she didn't get that serum she wouldn't be able to save Zaalbar, protect Carth and Mission or save Bastila. Even though she knew that it all didn't ride on her and that if she died, Carth could take over… she still had a debt to repay. She still wanted to earn Carth's trust… no matter how impossible. And she didn't want to leave him to fend for himself

She kept rubbing at her hand. This really wasn't the best timing.

"Look Carth, you want to continue looking for Zaalbar? Then go ahead and I'll catch up to you so we don't lose time. I understand the time restraint, _believe _me, I do." He scoffed.

"Oh no you don't, you aren't running off on your own. I saw those Rakghouls too and they aren't exactly a walk in the park. So no, we're staying together." She spun on him, desperate to get him to understand. She had too much riding on their mission to die, just yet. If she was left with no other choice, then she was left with no other choice but she wasn't going to give up the opportunity.

"Carth, please, just listen to me, will you? For once, listen. I'll be fine but I _really_ need to go check it out, ok?" She had unconsciously brought her hands up to her chest like she normally would when pleading with someone. The only difference was that she was rubbing the small wound on her hand, the one that began to feel numb.

Carth noticed that she was rubbing her hand and when he reached out to grab her wrist, she smacked his hand away. He then grabbed her wrist with his other hand.

"Samirah, what happened to your hand?" Mission had been keeping quiet until then when she gazed at the wound. The scratch had grown bigger and was surrounded in a purple bruise. She looked at Samirah, terrified.

"You didn't, did you…? Samirah…" Carth looked from Mission to Samirah, unsure about what she meant. Samirah looked away, pulling her hand free from his grip.

"It's nothing, I just—"

"—It's a big something! We have to get you fixed right away! Zaalbar can last the few minutes we need, but we have to hurry!" Carth looked at Mission, puzzled.

"Mission, what are you—"

"She was scratched by a Rakghoul and… and now she's—she's going to—"Carth's eyes darted to Samirah as they widened. He finished the sentence himself.

She'll become a Rakghoul.

"What?" He couldn't find any other words as Mission and Samirah began to hurry to the south as Carth followed behind robotically. Suddenly, he noticed the way she glanced at her hand nervously and the beads of sweat on her forehead.

Either she was really scared or she was turning. He really was hoping she was scared.

She felt awful. She felt the pit of her stomach swim and her limbs tingled. The idea of becoming a Rakghoul didn't sit well with her at all as her free hand rested on the hilt of her blaster. She was ready to use her weapon. She was ready to use it on herself the moment she couldn't hold on much longer and she was using as much will power as she could muster to not let the infection get the better of her.

They hurried, their eyes looking for any signs of Rakghouls as they came to a clearing. Samirah's eyes brightened up as she saw the Sith—who were unfortunately dead and guarded by more Rakghoul. Samirah grimaced before she pulled out her blaster.

"I don't have time to waste on you…" Carth noticed the strain in her voice and became even more nervous. Carth and Samirah aimed from their spots while Mission stood behind them, her vibroblade in hand. When they pulled the trigger they both hit their mark.

Two Rakghouls dropped from the impact as they fired again to finish them off. As three more Rakghouls came rushing at them, Samirah was able to wound one and Carth killed another. That left two. Mission ran for the injured one while Samirah pulled out her blade to go for the other. Carth sat back firing where he could to help them. Mission piqued hers off first before Samirah was able to kill her own. She was breathing deeply as she yanked her vibroblade out. Her face had paled a bit and the wound on her hand… well, it looked worse.

Carth walked up to her and wanted to ask how she was doing… but he could tell from just looking at her. She needed the serum now before it was too late. Samirah spun around and rushed to the bodies and began to search through them while Mission and Carth searched the others. Samirah found two while Mission and Carth didn't find any… except for empty viles of used serum. So they had attempted to use it.

Samirah immediately opened one and stabbed the needle into her leg, letting out a small whimper as the serum entered her system. She had felt her body trying to fight the Rakghoul disease, plague—whatever it was. She sat down, laying her elbow on her knee and she bowed her head.

She was feeling the strain and wasn't sure if the serum had worked or not. How long until it circulated into her blood stream? How long did she have to wait? Was it too late? She tried her best to control her breathing, aware of Carth and Mission's anxious gazes.

Whatever it was… it was a close call and she fought the fatigue that was ready to cave in on her.

"I'm fine." She finally said when neither one of them spoke. She looked up with the best smile she could muster and Mission let out a sigh of relief.

"You really had me going there for a minute. I thought… well, you know. But you're better now, so everything's cool, right?" She nodded and Mission smiled. "Now we can go save Zaalbar." Samirah stood up, ignoring her body as it protested.

They started to leave and had only walked a few steps before Samirah readied her vibroblade. Carth had begun to ask why but a voice interrupted him. Apparently, they weren't the only ones on this side of the Undercity. A man emerged from around the corner followed by an entourage of men.

"Don't… don't move! I-I'm not afraid to use this blaster if I have to!" One of the men pointed his blaster at them shakily and Samirah relaxed obviously not feeling very threatened by the nervous guy. A man reached over and pushed his blaster down.

"Settle down, kid. We've already lost enough men to those damn Rakghouls! The last thing we need now is more casualties from a needless firefight." With that, the man nodded but didn't put his blaster away. Samirah slid her vibroblade back into place as the leader looked at her, sizing her up.

"By the looks of you I'd say you're down here for the same reason we are: to salvage something from those downed republic space pods. Let me give you some advice: Forget about it. Do yourself a favor and just head back the way you came."

"Because of Rakghouls?" She asked, even though she already knew that was what it was. Her hand moved to her wound and she unconsciously rubbed it again, a feat that did not escape Carth's notice. The leader of the group frowned at her.

"Listen, this isn't really a good place to stand around chatting, The Undercity is—"

"Canderous!" The fidgety man was looking behind them, shaking. "I heard something! Over there, in the shadows! Sounded like a Rakghoul!" His blaster was pointing at the shadows as Rakghouls emerged, running full speed at them.

"Looks like we've got company! Get those blasters ready, boys!" Canderous yelled as they began opening fire. Carth began firing as Samirah pulled her blade out and rushed at the nearest Rakghoul, trying to take him out before he got to the soldier.

The Rakghoul tore into the man's abdomen and he screamed in terror as Samirah sliced through the Rakghoul. The man fell and when she checked his pulse it was fading quickly as he started to go into shock. The rest of Canderous's men were taking out the remaining Rakghouls with the help of Mission and Carth. The fallen soldier looked at her, scared as he gripped her arm.

She knitted her brows together, trying to think if there was a way to save him—it wasn't that he needed the serum, because he did. It was that he had lost too much blood and it would be useless to give him the serum if he wasn't going to live to feel the effects. The Rakghoul had torn through his abdomen and it wasn't a simple cut… it was a gaping wound… and she didn't think he'd survive.

He thrashed about a little more, gurgling what could only be blood as he gasped for air. He gripped her arm so tightly that she winced before he fell motionless and his body fell limply. She slowly closed his eyelids with a sad expression. Fortunately, he didn't have to suffer the pain for too long. Samirah moved away sadly as Canderous walked up to examine the man before he cursed under his breath.

"Damn! I told Davik this Salvage mission was a bad idea. His men aren't trained for this kind of thing and I can't babysit them all! Okay, boys… we're getting out of here before I lose anyone else. I can't carry all this salvage back myself." He hoisted the fallen soldier's bag onto his shoulders, glancing one last time at the man before he turned to Samirah, a grimace in place.

"You'd be smart to get out of here too. I doubt there's anything worth finding left in those Republic space pods." Samirah brushed the dirt off of herself before placing her vibroblade on her back, hoping no more surprise attacks would arise.

"You were down here searching those pods?" he nodded.

"Davik sent me down here with _this_ motley crew—"He pointed over his shoulder to the trembling group behind him." –to scavenge whatever we could from the crashed pods but the lower city gangs got here first. Everything's practically stripped clean and by those damn Vulkars no less." She nodded. It didn't really surprise her… too much time had been wasted for her recovery and then to make it this far had taken a few days on its own. That was time that others had to reach the pods and clean them out of everything.

"The Damn Vulkars knew Davik would want first claims out here… Davik would be smart to smash those little bugs now before they really get out of control." He added with an aggravated toned.

"Thanks for the information, that'll help." He nodded. "I suppose we'll go our separate ways then and unfortunately… we can't leave just yet." He snorted.

"Suite yourself, kid. Thanks for the help, but now we're out of here with the leftovers. Come on boys… let's move out!" He motioned to them and they all fell into sink behind him. Samirah let out a big sigh as she began moving again.

She let Mission move in front of her so that she could show them the way to the sewers. She felt the serum in her blood and could almost feel some of the color returning to her face. She could have cried in relief. After seeing those horrible creatures… she was ready to put a blaster to her head before turning into one of them. Just because she felt the effects, it didn't mean she was about to put her guard down.

She was also aware of Carth's worried glances in her direction and she was almost irritated by the simple act. That man could act sincere and the like but when it came down to getting to the heart of their problems, he was skeptical of her every motive and would lock up like a high security safe. She wasn't sure it was worth it to try and open him up and she was a little tired of trying. She didn't have time for it anyway. She needed to focus on Zaalbar. She needed to rescue this Wookiee before he was condemned to a life of slavery… one no one should be forced to live.

She was ready for what lay ahead of them in the sewers. She was another step closer.

A step closer to Zaalbar. A step closer to Bastila. A step closer to escaping this insufferable planet and from the watchful eyes of one Republic Pilot.

One way or another, she was going to accomplish her goals and escape. She would soon be back in her own ship and away from everything that weighed down on her shoulders.

A weight she was determined to lift.

* * *

**And now we are at the end of another chapter.**

**Hopefully, you guys enjoyed the story and props to you guys for continuing to read. Any feedback, comments or just random stuff is always welcomed! Thank you guys for being so awesome! I will be sure to update the next chapter as soon as possible. Again, its already written just needs to be proof read and corrected.**

**Thanks guys and I hope you continue to read!**

**- SilverShards -**


	7. Chapter 6: A LifeDebt?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars nor do I own SW: KOTOR nor do I own LucasArts- again, that would be cool, but no. I do not. Would be nice.**

**Okay guys! Here's another chapter (And might I add, I do believe my chapters are getting longer. Progressively. I don't know if thats a good sign or a bad one. Oh well. lol)**

**Hopefully, you guys will enjoy this chapter just as much as I do writing them! I just can't wait until I get further into the story. **

**Well, here you go, enjoy the story!**

* * *

**A Life-Debt?**

Mission led them to a gate where she yanked it opened before smiling at them. So they were getting closer.

"This should be the place!"

They followed her inside and moved cautiously through, plugging their noses to the smell. Samirah could guess what it was but wasn't really about to voice her suspicions. She really didn't want to know. What she did know was that it was the most awful, disgusting, ghastly smell she had ever had to endure.

And she had endured quite a lot.

When they heard a roar like scream, they knew what was ahead of them. Rakghouls. Samirah was beyond sick of them. If she didn't have to deal with them, then it would be too soon. They moved quickly, dispatching them and careful not to be scratched or bitten by their infested claws and fangs. Samirah especially. She didn't want to use the only serum left and with a scratch already—she didn't want to tempt fate. That last serum was for Zelka.

When they began fighting Gamorreans, they knew they were inching closer to where Zaalbar was being held captive. Problem was, where? Every corridor they chose to venture down led them to a new row of corridors. Samirah thought she might go a little stir crazy testing out each one. Why couldn't Gamorreans have signs or flashing arrows pointing to their captives? It would make her life so much easier.

The Gamorreans seemed to rely more on brute strength and that was fine by Samirah. She slipped through their clumsy attacks and would take them out quickly. After defeating a Gamorrean who was patrolling a hallway, they opened all the doors just to be safe. They came to one that wouldn't open and Samirah didn't recognize the kind of lock, which was rare. She kind of liked having a challenge every now and then but she didn't really want to mess with one today. Mission stepped up to exam it.

"Look at this! This is one of those old style manual locks. No computer codes or nothing. The sewers are the only place you'll see one of these on Taris. You can't really use conventional security spikes on these old locks."

"Can you open it, then?" Carth asked. She shot him an offended look, but smiled. He should know better.

"Can I open it? Do you know who you're talking too? I've come across them before so I've rigged up a little device that should do the trick. Jeez, Carth, don't doubt me just yet." She rolled her eyes at him and began tinkering away at the lock. Samirah covered her mouth to keep from laughing and he shot her a glare.

"What are you laughing at?" She smiled at him, still laughing.

"You seem to always underestimate people, you should know better by now." This time, he rolled his eyes. When the door popped open, Zaalbar walked up to Mission completely relaxing in her presence. He seemed more than relieved. Forgetting about everything else, Mission ran up to him and threw her arms around his waist.

"Zaalbar!"

"**You're a sight for sore eyes, Mission."** He roared and she smiled happily at him and you could almost feel the stress just melt away when she saw him. She hugged him tightly as the anxiety she was feeling completely vanished the moment she knew he was ok.

"I'm glad to see you too, big Z! You didn't think I'd forget about you—Mission and Zaalbar, together forever!" Samirah smiled at how much of kid she sounded like. She could act a lot older, but she just couldn't help it now. She was just too relieved.

Zaalbar finally looked up to see Carth and Samirah, watching them. For a moment, he seemed hesitant at the new comers. He remembered them from the Cantina—barely—and wasn't sure what he thought of them yet.

"**Mission, who's that with you?" **He asked.

"These are my new friends, big Z. Without them, I never could have gotten you out!"

"It's good to see you again, Zaalbar. My name is Samirah Alda, at your service. Glad to see you safe again." She smiled happily at him who seemed surprised by her response and as the information settled on his mind, he nodded.

"**You know the language of my people? That is rare among your species; I am impressed. You have even saved me from a life of servitude and slavery. There is only one way that I know of that can ever possibly serve as payment for such a debt. I will swear a life debt to you."**Mission's eyes widened when she looked at him. Samirah's smile fell as she gaped.

"I'm sorry, what? You want to do what?" Samirah asked, completely taken by surprise. A Wookiee life debt? Surely she misheard him. Surely he had meant something else. Something not as important and drastic like a life debt.

"Zaalbar, are you sure? A life debt? That's pretty serious." He nodded, looking back at the startled Samirah.

"**I am sure, Mission. This is an issue of great importance to me. Because of our great physical strength, Wookiees are being used as slave labor on our own home world. When the Gamorreans had captured me… I feared I was doomed to a life of slavery and solitude. You have saved me from such a life, from that fate. A life debt is the only payment." **

Samirah wanted to speak but couldn't find her words. Carth wasn't exactly sure what was going on but it had to be something serious if Samirah, of all people, was speechless. Mission spoke up, looking pointedly at Samirah.

"Do you know what this means? A Wookiee swearing a life debt to you?" Samirah swallowed before looking at Mission, a little worried. She hoped she was wrong.

"It's some kind of loyalty vow, isn't it?"_ Please tell me I'm wrong, please._ Mission nodded.

"It's the most solemn vow a Wookiee can make! It means he'll stay by your side for the rest of your life—wherever you go, whatever you do, Zaalbar will be with you." Samirah stared at Zaalbar in shock. Mission could have phrased that a little better… it sounded like he was going to be her personal attendant or something—like a bodyguard.

Wonderful.

"Are you sure? Are you sure you want to pledge this vow to me? Make sure that this is something you really want to do, Zaalbar." He nodded and without waiting for another word, spoke.

"**In the presence of you all I swear my life debt. Forever after I will be by your side, Samirah Alda. May my vow be as strong as the roots of the great Wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk."**

"I-I-I'm honored to… a-accept this vow…" She stammered before she was able to smile, still overcome by the event and Carth felt a little out of the loop. He pledged a life debt to her?

Well, Samirah wasn't sure what to do at this point. She had planned on going back to her scouting after all of this and she had never had a companion before so… a change for the better? Maybe some outside opinions would be good for her. Well, one thing was for sure, if she ever got into trouble—she had a Wookiee on her side.

"So, I guess you're stuck with me too since I go where Zaalbar goes. I'm not about to lose him again." Samirah laughed softly. Okay, maybe more than just a Wookiee for back-up. She was sure that Mission would be ready to take on an army if she wanted. She only hoped they would be okay with traveling a lot. Mission was a good kid and very handy so maybe she would be a great asset to her adventures.

"Well, then I'm glad to have you along too Mission. We'll make a party of it all."

"So, I guess I still owe you _one_ secret path into the Vulkar base. That was the deal, wasn't it?" Samirah smiled, happy to be moving on to the grander plan. Saving Bastila. They started moving down the hall as she spoke, looking around. Zaalbar opened a nearby lockbox to find all of his belongings and began to equip himself with everything the Gamorreans had taken from him.

"Don't you worry; I know a backdoor into that scum den!" Samirah nodded, still a little stunned but happy to be moving again. She was ready to get out of the sewer and get to rescuing Bastila.

"Fantastic, the sooner we get there the better. I'm ready to get out of here. I'm done with all these close calls today." Carth grunted and she glared at him. She didn't need his sarcastic remarks right now.

He kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to try and start anything. He wanted to get out of there just as much as she did so he would try and keep quiet. Mission laughed to herself, oblivious to they exchange.

"I better come with you—the Vulkars put up a force shield to keep the sewer dwellers out. I'm one of the only non-Vulkars on Taris who can get you past it. I can't remember exactly how to get there, but I know it was somewhere here in the sewers." They made a turn, hopefully heading in the right direction. "If I remember right, it should be over to the northeast. I just hope the rancor monster isn't still there." Samirah stopped in her tracks her hands thrown in front of her. Carth had to skid to a halt to avoid slamming into her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Nobody said _anything _about a rancor monster! Those things are—no. There has to be another way in. No, no and no!" Mission sighed and Samirah frowned. "Really? No other way in?"

"Nope, it's the only way without waltzing through the front door." Samirah glanced at Carth, her initial idea on the tip of her tongue. He shot her a look of disbelief before shaking his head no. Of course that was out of the question. Was she crazy? She sighed. There went plan B. "Well, it is pretty huge but luckily they aren't very bright. I was able to sneak past it before so we should be good to go… unless you want to change your mind…" She looked back at Samirah, who sighed dejectedly.

"Unfortunately… that's not really an option. I need to get into that base… and if a rancor's standing in my way… well, then we better take him down. Let's go." Mission smiled excitedly as they headed down through the sewers.

"Okay, then we're off! Like I said, somewhere to the south-east. Just look for the force field and we have our target."

"Wait, I thought you said it was the northeast?" Samirah asked nervously. Carth pinched the bridge of his nose trying to chase away the pent up uneasiness he was feeling. For Edge's sake…

"Oh, right, I did? Oh, well… we'll find it! Then I'll know for sure." Samirah laughed nervously to herself… they weren't going to get out of here anytime soon. If she was that kind of person, she was laugh a little hysterically. She felt like it.

They occasionally found a rakghoul or two who would fight them and even Gamorrean slavers who tried to fight them off and capture Zaalbar again, but Samirah would have none of it. A couple of times, a whiff of something came to their noses that made Samirah scrunch up her nose. She wasn't sure what it was and she just assumed it was the sewer… or the Gamorreans themselves but she didn't really want to find out. Again, something she tried to avoid.

They were about to turn a corner when Mission couldn't take it anymore. She apparently knew where this in particular smell was originating from.

"Zaalbar, we have to do something about your breath… it's worse than usual which I didn't even think possible. What did those Gamorreans feed you?"

"**They didn't. I wasn't their guest, Mission, I was their prisoner. They fed me nothing."** He roared and both Samirah and Mission grimaced.

"Oh, Zaalbar, that's terrible! I know how grumpy you get when you don't eat you eight square meals a day. I'm surprised you didn't pass out from hunger." He scratched his head as she shook hers. Samirah grimaced. Eight square meals a day? If she took Zaalbar on her adventures… he would eat all of her storage before they even made it to their destination.

Eight square meals …a _day_. Fabulous.

"**Well, I did manage to bite a chunk out of one of the guards who wondered too close… but I spat it out just as quick. He didn't taste good at all…" **Both Samirah and Mission looked back at him in horror. Carth wasn't sure what he was missing so Samirah filled him in as Mission continued.

"Ewww, that's disgusting Zaalbar! They smell like bantha poo-doo! We need to get you a toothbrush and fast!" He roared in disagreement, offended.

"**Wookiees do not brush their teeth! It just isn't done! What next, Mission? A **_**comb?"**_ He shivered at the thought and both Samirah and Mission glanced at each other. Samirah smiled kindly at him, or at least the best she could without scrunching her face up. The sewers were bad but mixed with his breath… well… there was no comparison.

A comb wasn't a bad idea. Neither was the toothbrush but she knew Wookiees all too well. They weren't exactly keen on the idea.

"It's ok, Zaalbar. We won't do such a thing." He huffed but nodded his thanks to her.

"**Then let us continue. I will walk behind you if that is what is required." **He commented and Samirah felt bad suddenly. She didn't want to make him do something like that… it almost made it seem like a degrading gesture.

"No, no, you walk where you want. We won't complain, honest." She looked pointedly at Carth and Mission who nodded grudgingly but agreed. He turned and walked on as they ran to catch up, Mission taking the lead again.

They went through door after door taking one wrong turn after the next. They even had the unfortunate luck of running into a nest of hungry Rakghouls. A nest that Samirah tossed a grenade into before ducking and taking cover as the blast wiped them out. She stuck her head up and grimaced at the remnants of what used to be Rakghouls. Limbs were scattered around the room and a body were twitch before falling limp.

Samirah shot the bodies that she questioned just for extra measure. She didn't want any surprises.

She got more and more stressed as they came across more and more Gamorreans. Were they even going the right way? Were they anywhere near the base? Had they made a wrong turn? They wouldn't even know if they had until the exited the sewers. As time ticked away, she became more and more nervous. Mission said she knew the way… but did she really? Sure, she was pretty sure Mission could get them inside… once they found the right door. Leading up to that point? That was still up for debate.

Finally, they opened one last door, Samirah's blaster already pointed at whoever was on the other side. As the guard had said—Shoot first, ask question later. She didn't have time for petty creatures. She was on a time constraint.

When the doors opened, Samirah was ready to leap with joy when she saw a blue force field blocking their way.

"Oh, thank the stars!" She breathed before approaching a computer console, searching through for a way to bring the force field down. She typed away, her eyes focused on the terminal. She searched through the files and commands looking for the right one. Mission shook her head.

"You won't be able to get that computer to lower down the shields unless you have the proper codes and trying to hack it would take too long." Samirah furrowed her brow. It would take a decent amount of time to hack and she was sure she could do it, but she smiled at Mission who seemed to be ready to burst. She knew how to get by it.

"And let me guess, you've got the codes we need?" She said with a smirk. Mission nodded slowly, so proud of herself.

"Oh yeah. Let's just say that a certain black Vulkar had a _little_ too much to drink in the cantina and I _may_ have been able to pickpocket the codes right off him. If you would…" Samirah smiled before backing away from the console and gesturing for Mission to go right ahead.

She stepped up and began typing away and after about a few seconds, the force field flickered before disappearing. Samirah clasped her hands and hopped up and down out of joy. Carth was surprised at how quickly she had turned from being a fearless fighter to an excited child. It was like the flip of a switch. How did she do it?

She hurried down the hallway with everyone falling behind her as she and Mission led the way down the sewers. She didn't waste much time on the Gamorreans or the Rakghouls she came across. She was a step closer to getting to the accelerator and to Bastila. When they came across a droid, she tilted her head in curiosity.

"What's a droid doing down here? Did the Vulkars place it here?" Everyone kind of just shrugged, not really sure what to make of it.

As it traveled around the room slowly, they started to walk by it. The moment they entered its sights, it began shooting and Samirah barely had time to pull her vibroblade out to block a shot to her shoulder.

"Hey!" She shouted a little perturbed.

They immediately began shooting at it as Samirah tried to dismember the machine. It just fired mindlessly and would begin twitching here and there. Obviously a malfunctioning droid since its aim would—well, technically, it didn't aim at all. When it finally couldn't take anymore, it crashed, smashing against the sewer floor. Pieces flew in every direction and sparks showered the floor. Samirah walked up to it with an aggravated expression before kicking it.

"Stupid malfunctioning demon droid…" Carth looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"_Demon droid…?"_ She looked at him with a meek smile, shrugging.

"What? I can't help it if the things possessed. I always wondered about malfunctioning droids… I one day came to the conclusion that they were just demonic machines. It was an idea I got from Chorax. I met this real shady guy there who had this droid and when I approached him—"She stopped short before her cheeks got a little pink. A feat—Carth noticed—that she hadn't done in a while. It reminded him how she hadn't really changed all that much since first meeting her. Actually, he was just getting to know her better. She turned to them with this big smile.

"Uh… how about we just keep going?" She laughed nervously to herself. As they kept going, Carth looked pointedly at her and she tried to pretend not to notice. When he didn't let up, she sighed. "What?"

"Why didn't you finish your story?" She pursed her lips, keeping her eyes ahead of them. Mission and Zaalbar had taken the lead as she and Carth walked behind.

"Well, we don't exactly have time for me to start reminiscing about my old adventures. Besides, I might start to babble and I'd hate to take up too much time." He laughed.

"What? So you don't want to talk about your past?" A mischievous grin spread across her face when she finally looked up at him.

"Reminds you of someone, doesn't it?" He stopped smiling as he realized she was talking about him. He looked ahead with a sour expression on his face and she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, come on. You know it's true." He had started to retort something when Mission stopped up ahead. They were at a door and a mangled body lay against it.

Samirah pushed through until she was kneeling next to him, her mood instantly changing. She checked his belongings until she found a data pad and some vials. She began searching through the pad as Mission shivered.

"He didn't have much of anything on him last time I checked." Mission stated. "I didn't know what those vials were either but either way… we're here." Carth raised an eyebrow, unsure what she meant. Samirah suddenly stood up as she read the last bit of the datapad before looking up at the door.

"The Rancor monster."

Mission nodded. Samirah pocketed the datapad and looked at the vials in her hand. Carth watched as her expression changed. She was in deep thought.

The vials she held in her hand were synthesized odors; an odor that the Rancor monster is very fond of. The datapad mentioned something about luring the Rancor to something that would kill him if he ate it. The alien that lay before them had died before he could figure out what… or before he could record his plan. Samirah stood by the door, looking straight it.

_What if… what about…and then…_

Her mind flashed back to when she stuffed the grenade into the Rakghouls mouth but there was no way she was going to be able to get close enough to the Rancor to do the same thing—forget being _able_ to, she didn't want anywhere _near_ the creature. Mission had said it was huge. How huge?

Slowly, Samirah opened the door and Carth looked alarmed.

"What are you—"Mission covered his mouth as Samirah stealthily peered into the colossal room. Her eyes widened when she saw the creature, standing at the far end of the room. It was huge after all. It was a wonder how it even managed to get inside, forget that—how did it survive?

She glanced around the room until she gasped at a mound of bodies. Some only skeletons but others still flesh and blood—probably dead for a few days, none the less. The gears in her head began running. And then the pieces fell together. She turned to them, working out the final pieces in her head and she could only pray it worked… everything _had_ to be timed perfectly. The smallest mistake and they would be fighting the Rancor to get inside. A fight she didn't want any part of—that creature could take any one of them out in a single swipe.

"Samirah…" Carth said slowly, his voice sounding weary. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to know what she was thinking and he debated whether or not he wanted to ask. She looked up at him and not giving him the chance to decide, spoke.

"Stay here." With that, she spun around and using her stealth skills she had also picked up on Chorax, she quietly moved across the room. It was a sound dampening belt that reduced the amount of noise she made and almost made it seem like she was never there. It was like she was invisible—nearly. The Rancor wasn't even looking at her as he messed with a mangled body she hoped she didn't know. He flung it around like a rag doll for whatever reason before tossing it aside and moving onto a new specimen.

Her eyes never left the monster as she moved, blending in to the wall and out of his sight, inching ever so close to the bodies. The lights flickered, casting shadows she used to her advantage. When she approached the bodies, she knelt down, wrinkling her nose and trying hard not to sniff the bodies. She moved a body as she opened a pack and dumped the vials all out on the body.

The Rancor reared his head as the scent reached his nose and she froze, trying to time it perfectly. She had the three grenades in her hand—three, just for extra measure— ready to place. If she placed the grenades on the body too soon, they'd go off before the monster ate the bodies. Too late and she wouldn't be able to get away. As he began marching in her direction she waited a few more seconds before stuffing the grenades in the pockets of the odorous body.

She tried to move as quickly and yet as inconspicuously as she possibly could, to avoid his detection. An opened vial fell from her belt and rolled slowly away from her. When it moved its head to stare at her, she froze.

_Damn it, there's no way!_

How stupid of her to keep the vials with her. It was a force of habit that she put them back in her belt. She didn't like leaving evidence. It sniffed in her direction and started to head for her and she was filled with terror before the overwhelming scent from the bodies drew it back towards them. It couldn't resist the more alluring aroma. The Rancor swiped its hand down, picking up a handful of bodies and stuffing them in its mouth. Samirah watched as one grenade fell out of the pocket and rolled in her direction and she didn't dare move— not until the other two grenades went off.

It swallowed and then turned to look at her, marching in her direction.

_Wait! The grenades… don't tell me they didn't—_

Suddenly the monster roared as an explosion erupted inside his stomach. The grenade in front of her set off and she ducked covering her head. The explosion rang in her ears and she opened her mouth wide to let out a small cry but no sound came out. The Rancor monster roared again as the second grenade exploded and he fell over, thrashing about before it finally fell limp, its eyes still open.

Samirah didn't even hear the others run over to her until Carth was in her face, saying something but she couldn't hear a word. He shook her shoulders and she winced as her ears simply rang until they finally started to dim. It was like being submerged in water and then being pulled out.

"—irah! Samirah! Hey! What the hell were you thinking? Samirah! Oh for edge's sake…" He shouted. Mission looked at her with wide eyes.

"You killed the Rancor monster! I didn't think it was possible!" Samirah blinked several times before she looked at Carth.

"I'm fine… I'm fine…" She said it more to herself then to him. When the Rancor started to come for her… she felt like that was the end. She had never been so afraid. Not even when she was on Chorax and that was when that Verpine scoundrel had emerged with friends after she insulted his starship—which you didn't insult the Verpine's starship. Not when they were geniuses with high-tech devices. They were brilliant when it came to that sort of thing.

It wasn't her fault though—she had gotten so mad when he had begun to insult this woman at the Cantina. Samirah could only take so much before she had to stand up for the poor woman. The woman was too scared to stand up for herself and she could see why. Not very many people had the guts to stand up to five thugs with blasters—only it wasn't guts that had Samirah back talking them. To be honest, it was stupid, but nonetheless, she was able to get out of the situation with a little help.

After a few more moments and a sip of water—which was hard to drink with the smells and dead bodies around—she finally was ready to go.

"Alright… let's get inside this Vulkar base and get that swoop engine prototype… right now, that's the only obstacle between us and Bastila." Carth shook his head incredulously.

"How is it you still have the strength to keep going? After all these close calls you keep having… it's a wonder you're still alive to tell about them." She laughed shakily as she stood.

"If I could… I would tell you but it seems I have a stupid amount of luck on my side." She walked past the Rancor, barely sparing a look at it, shuddering at its lifeless eyes that watched her from afar. Zaalbar, Mission and Carth fell in step behind her as they approached the door. Samirah spliced it open to find herself face to face with two Vulkars.

Without sparing a second, the fight ensued. Moments later it was open and they snuck in. They found themselves in a maze like base and would open a door to find a room full of Vulkars, relaxing until they realized she wasn't a waitress to bring them more drinks. One by one, they all fell as Samirah and the group dispatched each one. They eventually found a servant girl who cowered in a corner, begging for her life. She was holding a silver tray up in hopes that it would conceal her.

Samirah cautiously approached, convincing the woman that she was no one to fear and that they only searched for a prototype engine—and a woman named Bastila. The servant girl didn't know anything about the engine but said that the Republic officer was probably who Samirah sought after and that Brejik didn't trust his men around her so she was elsewhere. She said it like she was jealous of the security Bastila had been given. When she finished, Samirah quickly told her to leave as long as she knew her way out.

"Really? You-you're going to let me live? Just like that? Thank you! Thank you! I-I have to get out of here before the Vulkars find out! Thank you!" she dropped her tray and ran out the door, quickly leaving the premises.

Did Samirah look like a killer or something? Why would she kill the servant? Perhaps living with the Vulkars makes you scared to trust anyone. Speaking of trust, she glanced at Carth as he checked one of the Vulkar bodies, finding nothing much other than an elevator key card. When he stood, he became aware of her gaze and glanced at her.

She knew better than to just look away, so she looked at the key card instead.

"…That may be what we need…" She said before moving along without so much as another word. They opened just about every door, searching every room and practically clearing out the base of Vulkars. Boy would Gadon be happy to find out he had a couple less Vulkars to worry about—or a base empty of them.

They found one particular Vulkar who dropped to his knees in front of them after Samirah had injured his arm.

"Please! Stop! I surrender!" the Twi'lek shouted and Samirah faltered in her movements awkwardly. She stumbled, halting the attack she had been about the use. She actually almost fell and had to do some quick moving to keep from falling. Carth gave her a strange look as she frowned.

"I-I'm sorry, did you say _surrender?_" She asked a little more than surprised. He nodded. "I didn't know that was in the Vulkar vocabulary list."

"I know better than those others." He said. "I knew what it meant to be a Vulkar. That was long before Brejik had taken over as leader. I used to be a high ranking officer and now look what I've become… is this really anything? I'm really nothing now… Brejik has me guarding… a storeroom! It's degrading what I've become… This is not what it's supposed to be… this is not what the Vulkars were created for." She scrunched up her face, not really following.

"Then leave. Why stay any longer as a Vulkar if you've lost the honor and purpose it was originally created for?" He laughed dryly.

"Because he would hunt down any traitors… even though he is the true traitor to have betrayed Gadon Thek." Samirah leaned on her vibroblade, blowing on a strand of hair that fell in her face. He looked up at her, a little hesitantly. "So… where does this leave us now?"

"Where's the prototype engine?" She asked directly and he smiled. Of course.

"Of course, that's what you're here for. I would tell you if I knew… but Brejik doesn't trust us with that kind of information, though…at least not people like me." He thought for a second. "If anywhere, I would check the garage, that's where we keep our swoop bikes and I'm sure the engine wouldn't be too far from them. They would have to install it for the race." She nodded with a smile forming on his face. She was close. He swallowed nervously and she laughed softly.

"Calm down, no need to feel nervous, I'm not going to kill you." He looked at her, just slightly surprised and Carth gaped at her.

"That's… awfully generous of you… and very trusting. What's to stop him from turning you in to Brejik and the rest in an attempt to get a higher rank?" Carth countered. The Twi'leks eyes grew large before he looked at Samirah like the idea would be enough for her to murder him. Instead, she was frowning at Carth.

"I don't kill needlessly and I trust him. His words sound… truthful to me. I would like to think I would know if he was lying." Carth rolled his eyes. "Listen Carth, I know you don't trust people and you're prepared for them to betray you at the drop of a hat but I'm not like that. I can't live like that. Without trust, well, then you have a depressing life ahead of you. So no, I'm not going to kill him." She turned back to the Vulkar and held her hand out. He hesitantly took it and she helped him up.

"Now, you get out of her and live. Don't worry about flyboy over there, he won't do a thing—I swear it." She glared at Carth as if to dare him to test her. She wouldn't hesitate to tackle him. The Twi'lek thanked her graciously.

"Thanks, thanks a lot! And don't worry; I won't cause you any trouble on the way out. In fact, I sincerely hope that you take Brejik and his Vulkars down." He rushed past them, glancing nervously at Carth as he hurried out the door and away from the base.

When he was gone, Carth looked pointedly at her. She simply ignored him and walked past him.

"Samirah—"She spun around on him and stared straight into his eyes, making sure he understood what she was about to say. She didn't have time to deal with his insecurities and issues.

"—Not now, Carth. It's not my fault you don't trust easy so give it a rest for now because for once, I'm too damn tired to fight about this. So… stuff it!" She fumed before she turned again and walked away leaving Mission and Zaalbar looking a bit surprised. Mission turned to see Carth frowning.

"Geez, Carth, what'd you do to her?" Mission wondered and he sighed.

"It's a bit of a long story, Mission… a long story indeed." He rubbed his face before all three of them chased after her.

They checked door after door and even found the elevator that required the key card. They found themselves in the garage and immediately sought for the engine. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, they found themselves fighting the garage head and his lackeys. Samirah programmed an assault droid to help them do a little bit of the work for them as it went on a patrol and took care of the stragglers. Samirah even resulted to hacking a computer terminal and smiling with relief as she successfully found the right room, containing the engine.

When they stood in front of the door, Mission began splicing it open as Samirah readied her weapons. Zaalbar mumbled something but she wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were focused solely on the door. Carth's blasters were ready as the doors opened up. Two Twi'leks stood by a table, hovering over some plans and looked up as the door opened. The male looked up and smiled not exactly in surprise.

"Well, well, looks like we have visitors." He stood up straight, smiling deviously at them. "Gadon Thek had you come all the way out here to steal our engine?" He feigned shock that only disgusted Mission.

"Brejik stole that engine from Gadon! It was never yours to begin with!"

"Well, I didn't go through all the trouble just to have you steal it back. No, no, no. That isn't how that's going to happen." His eyes fell on Samirah as he examined her from where he stood. The woman next to him spoke directly to him.

"Shall I kill them, Kandon?" She spoke with an alluring voice as if she hadn't been allowed to kill in a while—like it was some sort of drug to her. He raised a hand to her to stop her from speaking as he smiled.

"No, no—hold that thought. You." He pointed at Samirah.

"Yes? What about me?" She asked cautiously. She was pretty sure she didn't recognize him from somewhere… Not Trandosha, certainly not. Chorax? "You don't wear the Bek colors and you're definitely not a Vulkar, so you don't belong to either."

She glared at him. In all the planets she had been too, she had never been insulted, degraded and taken for a fool as many times as she had while on Taris. So, she wasn't used to being angry this many time before. No one believed she belonged to neither the Sith nor the Republic. She didn't belong to the Vulkars or the Beks. So what? Did she look like a lost dog without a home?

And for that matter, why didn't they ever point to Carth and say _you don't look like a pilot_ or something like that. Why was it always her?

"No, I'm not a Bek. I'm not a Vulkar. Though I _doubt_ that seriously has to do with anything." He smiled.

"Really? You could work for us. Become a Vulkar where your abilities will become—"

"—Listen, even if I wasn't doing favors for Gadon, I wouldn't join up with you. You're petty little _gang_ has killed more people than I can stomach and I really wish you would just hand over the engine so that we don't have to do this. I like to avoid conflict if possible."

"Why? You think we'd just hand it over." She sighed deeply.

"I'd really hate to have to kill you, I'm sure you could be a nice—well, maybe that's a little too optimistic." She swung her blade around as if it was a signal that she was done talking and he clicked his tongue.

"What a shame." The woman tugged on his sleeve as she pulled out her blaster.

"Now? Can I _please_ kill them?" It was like she couldn't survive much longer without killing someone. He nodded as he and the two guards behind them pulled out blasters.

Samirah tossed a grenade between them and when it exploded they were backed up against a wall, trying to keep their bearings. She ran straight for the two bodyguards in the back with Mission. Zaalbar and Carth fired from where they stood and when Kandon and the woman regained composure, they fired back. Samirah and Mission dispatched the two guards in moments before turning their sights on the frustrated two Twi'leks.

Mission charged up to the woman who managed to see her coming and fired, nicking her shoulder. When Mission gasped from the wound, Samirah's eyes narrowed as she closed the gap between them. She fought the woman like Carth had never seen Samirah fight before. Sure, she was an excellent fighter but… had she had training before? It was unreal the ability she had. She wielded her vibroblade with such skill, it was a wonder she was still an ensign.

Samirah slid her blade through the girl's abdomen before yanking it out as she fell limply on the ground. She gasped as she tried to breathe before Samirah landed a swift kick to the side of her head. She didn't check to see if she was still breathing before turning to Kandon who had brought out a blade of his own. They fought with their swords clashing and Carth couldn't get a clear shot in. He was too worried that he might nick Samirah instead of Kandon.

She wasn't about to give in to him and the moment she saw the opening in his defense, she took the shot. She thrusted her blade into his shoulder blade, pinning him to a wall before yanking it out roughly. She then thrusted it into his abdomen and his eyes went wide before a small smirk emerged on his lips.

"…_You would… have made… a fine member…" _He breathed. Infuriated by his comment, she yanked the sword out as roughly as she could before he fell limply to the ground. She stared at his motionless body.

A fine member? No. She wouldn't have. She was nothing like them. She wasn't a cold blooded killer. She killed them because they were out to kill her. She wasn't meant to be like them.

"_I'm nothing like you…" _She spoke out loud without realizing it and Carth glanced at her, not really catching what she said. What was wrong with her now?

When she glanced around she saw that they all lay motionless on the ground and Samirah took a deep breath. She had really hoped that she didn't have to fight them. She didn't want to kill anyone. She stepped over them and up to the engine that was lying on a counter, gingerly picking it up. She had it. The item she needed to get to Bastila and she was so stoked, nothing could ruin it.

Except Mission moaning in pain. Zaalbar picked her up and carried her as they used a med pack to keep her conscious and to keep her from feeling pain, for now. They would have to see Zelka later, just to be safe.

They hurried out of the Base, using the front door to get out this time, not bothering to back track through the sewer. She didn't want to have to go through all that again. Samirah was so ready to put this in Gadon's hands that she didn't even pause when they opened the Vulkar base doors and where met by a few guards. She and Carth fired at them while Zaalbar carried Mission.

They had startled the Vulkars enough to finish them off before they could even fire a shot off at them. They were hardly a threat but Samirah wasn't about to let her guard up for them, not when Mission was already injured.

In no time, they entered the Bek base and she walked straight towards Gadon who looked startled at her arrival. Zaalbar walked on as a few other Beks came to help him get Mission to some medical treatment. Samirah made sure they were ok before approaching Gadon whose eyes were still focused on her. He could hardly believe it.

"Do you have it?" She placed it in front of him and he sighed in relief as he hesitantly reached out to touch. Just to make sure it was real. "I had begun to wonder whether or not you'd make it back… the race is tomorrow and we need all the time we can get."

"Don't worry. I have the engine, Gadon, just like I promised. Will I still be able to race?" She asked softly, the exhaustion reaching her as she spoke. She wasn't angry, just hopeful that he wouldn't back down from his end of the deal. He laughed to himself.

"Don't you worry, I'm a man of my word. You can still ride under the Hidden Bek banner and with the prototype. If you can complete the track before it overheats, then you'll win for the Beks. If you don't… and it explodes… well then, another racer of ours could still come through." Samirah laughed nervously. She hoped he wasn't planning on the bike to overheat but at least he had a backup plan. Carth was speechless. Surely Samirah wouldn't agree—then again, who knew. Samirah was all about taking risks.

"Sounds like you have all your bases covered, but I'm fairly certain I'll come through for you." He smiled.

"Of course. Now, you can stay here the night. The mechanics need time to install the accelerator on the engine, so you won't be able to practice your riding." He seemed a little concerned about the idea and Carth thought of something at the mention of _practice._

"Have you even ever ridden a swoop bike?" He asked suddenly with a curious tone. She nodded and the all too familiar blush came to her cheeks.

"A couple of times when I had visited Nar Shaddaa… of course, it wasn't a circumstance of my choosing and I do remember—" She shut her mouth up and smiled at Gadon. "No worries though, I have experience so rest assured, I'll win." He smiled and nodded in approval before a few Beks escorted them to a room and brought them food.

The moment they were inside and had finished eating— they hadn't realized how hungry they had been—she leaned against the wall and sat down, leaning her head back. She'd nearly been killed in an explosion, turned to a Rakghoul and eaten by a Rancor. All in a day's work she supposed. She couldn't ever remember being in so much trouble at the same time. Not even on Nar Shaddaa. If there had ever been a place for her to get in trouble at, it would have been Nar Shaddaa.

Carth sat down on the end of the bed rubbing his eyes, obviously tired. Samirah shakily stood, walking to the refresher before looking back at Carth.

"Do you mind if… I go first?" He nodded his head, a smile at his lips. She was asking him? Was he so bad that she had to ask his permission to do things? He didn't think he was that bad.

After several moments, she came out from a shower and in a new set of clothes that the Beks had provided. She was just happy that she was clean and no longer smelled like the sewers and whatever else was on her clothes. Carth then took that as his queue to freshen up himself.

As he did, Samirah sat in the corner of the room, laying down a pillow and the extra blanket the Beks had brought her. She fluffed the pillow and snuggled into the corner of the wall. As she settled in, Carth emerged in his own fresh set of clothes. When he saw her settling in, he gave her a weird look.

"What?" He sat on the end of the bed, not really lying down.

"Well, I feel guilty letting you sleep on the floor. Isn't there some rule about letting women have the bed and the men have the floor?" She laughed.

"No, and if there is, that's pretty messed up. I told you before, it's a habit now. It's just… the life I've been accustomed too." She said meekly. She bit the side of her lip as she sat in the corner. Why was he trying to be nice now? After all… he accused her of killing everyone aboard the _Endar Spire._ So why, after all that, was he acting… _nice_, for lack of a better word.

He seemed to notice her change in attitude.

"What? You look like you're debating whether or not you want to say something… I know that look. You tend to have that look an awful lot now. What did I say this time?" She glanced at him before taking a deep breath. She had a feeling she would regret this.

"_What am I, an open book to you now?"_ She mused out loud before talking to him. "I just want to talk with you, if you'll allow it. Some things just don't add up anymore." His face fell like that wasn't what he wanted to hear. What did he think she wanted to say? _Oh, hey, I almost died today… a couple times actually, but that's ok. I was glad you were there to contradict every decision I made? Wish me luck tomorrow, maybe I won't explode. Well, good night. _

Yeah. That about summed it all up.

"Oh, you want to argue some more, is that it?" He said automatically and bitterly. She smiled at his tone. How quickly his mood changed. She should expect this by now…

"You should know… I'm always up for a good fight. Haven't you noticed that yet?" She said jokingly in an attempt to keep from a fight. He just laughed softly.

"Ha, can't say I've ever met a woman quite like you before. You're really something... it's like your testing your water with me…" In a way… she kind of was. She looked at him seriously this time but also sincerely. She really wanted to work this all out.

"I don't want to argue with you, but instead, I want to know why you distrust me so much… I just want to understand… is that… _so_ much?" He took a deep breath, sensing a long conversation ahead of them.

"I don't want to argue with you either... I mean, you seem sincere and all but I… I just don't trust easily, and for good reasons… which are my own." She put her elbow on her leg and her forehead against her fingers trying to make him understand where she was coming from. She was tired and exhausted but she wasn't about to let this one go.

"But we have to work together, Carth. So it has plenty to do with me! How can I rely on you if you don't trust me at all?" He let out a frustrated sound, rubbing his face for the fifteenth time.

"Ahhh, damn it! I suppose I won't get any rest until I talk, will I?" He stared at her with a tired expression and no matter how sore she was, she still smiled at him.

"Not a wink." He sighed before making sure he was comfortable before beginning.

"You want to know why I don't trust anyone? Fine. I'll tell you. Five years ago the Jedi had just finished the war with the Mandalorians. Revan and Malak were heroes. I was damn proud to have served in their fleet. It was… _completely_ unexpected when they turned on us, invading the Republic while we were still weak." Carth remembered it all happening again, waking up and getting the call about the invasion… and who was behind it all. It had nearly torn him apart. He was confused. Conflicted. Distraught.

Hurt.

"Nobody… knew what to think… least of all… me. Our… our heroes, the people we believed in… had become _brutal¸ conquering_ Sith… and we were all but helpless before them. Think about it… if you can't even trust the best of the Jedi, who can you trust?" he had said the question more to himself than to her.

But that didn't stop her from thinking. She never let anyone in… or at least the ones she had allowed herself to trust, ended up leaving for one reason or another. They didn't like traveling as much as she did, they fell in with a different crowd—with each person, it was a different reason. It was different than being betrayed though. For Carth not to trust anyone because… of the two heroes everyone admired—

"Then… but wait, what do I have to do with Revan and Malak?" She shook her head, not following. She wasn't a Jedi. She wasn't a Sith. So what? She knew she didn't belong… she didn't belong anywhere apparently. It was the price of being a Scout. You fit better with thugs and scoundrels and even then… they weren't really the best company. Especially in a drunken stupor. Then, well, they were just plain idiots with a glass in their hand. A dangerous thing.

He shook his head, trying to find a way to make it make sense.

"It… it's not that. It's… that's not what I mean. There… there were others. Good, solid, trusted men who joined them. Malak and Revan and the Sith deserve to die for what they've done… but the ones who fled the Republic and joined them are even worse. Think about it… to fight for a cause and then leave to defy the very thing you used to stand for… And the dark side has nothing to do with why they joined with the Sith so they have no excuse. They deserve… _no_ mercy!" He spat the words out, sounding more vicious then he intended.

She flinched at the ferocity of his words, shivering at how cold they seemed. Was he comparing her to them? Why? What had she done? Was it because she was a scout and many scouts had no loyalties? No, she was loyal. Sure, she was never seen—for good reasons—but she was still loyal to the Republic, sending in information and scouting areas they were curious about, no matter the danger.

"You say it with so much hatred. But, despite all of that… I'm rather confused. You say this and then you say that, and you send me through loops and I find it so very hard to follow. I haven't joined the Sith if that's what you think and I never plan on it. Their way of life is so… corrupted and… vile." She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and repeated her point for good measure.

"Carth… I haven't joined the Sith." He breathed a sigh like he wanted to believe her. He was just finding it hard. Harder than he should and wanted, but he did.

"I know, I do and… well, I should apologize to you. I've become so accustomed to expecting the worst in others, and you've done nothing to deserve that. I know you haven't joined and… never mind." He said abruptly. "Let's just continue this later; I'd rather not talk about it… at all." He added when she opened her mouth. She narrowed her eyes.

"You're trying to wiggle your way out of the conversation that easily? When are you just going to let me in and figure out what it is you want me to do. I don't know anymore, Carth. It's like you've sent me on a wild goose chase. _What will Samirah believe today? How can I confuse her now?" _She mimicked in a deep voice. He just looked away, not paying her any attention.

"Samirah, don't take any of this personally, ok? I just don't want to talk about it." She rolled her eyes.

"Again, with the _don't take it personally._ You know what Carth—"

"—Samirah! I don't want to talk about it!"He shouted and he hadn't meant to. She jumped at his sudden outburst. First she felt surprised, then sorry, then upset and then she was glaring at him.

"Fine, you—you—you—"She couldn't bring herself to say _one-eyed, egg-sucking, son of a slime devil. _She even thought to say _E Chu Ta! _A Huttese insult she had learned… but it wasn't really appropriate to be translated so she probably shouldn't say it so that she wouldn't have to translate… because they wouldn't even tell _her_ what it meant.

"Fine, you know what, I don't care anymore! I don't care! I'm tired of this! I'm tired of this distrust, I'm tired of always fighting, I'm tired of it, just tired! You want to have a pity party for yourself? Fine! But don't expect any more sympathy from me because you obviously don't want it! I can't figure out what you want me to do or say and I can't keep doing this! I'm not going to keep jumping through hoops just to keep you feeling secure! Do what you want!" She shouted at him, angry and hurt about his attitude towards her.

She hadn't done anything to him. She was helping him in any way that she possibly could and what did she get in return? His anger, his distrust and his constant watch on her every move, wondering if each decision would lead to her betrayal. She couldn't keep living like this. Her mentality was screaming at her to get away. She was going to go crazy trying to help Carth and yet… she knew it was the right thing.

Her mind was flipping inside and out trying to make sense of her thought process.

She took a deep breath before turning and moving back to her corner, lying down, facing the wall and covering herself up with the sheet. She needed to go to sleep. She had a race to win in the morning and she wasn't going to let his bad attitude ruin it for her. Whatever the cost, she was going to get Bastila back. With or without his cooperation.

Carth stared at her back, a permanent frown in place. Didn't she understand that there were some things he didn't want to talk about? Things that he found to be better left unsaid. He fell back against the bed and almost felt his worries roll right off into the sheets. The bed was comfortable and held the much needed sleep he had been missing. The simple act of lying down made him realize how sore he was and how exhausted he had become.

He didn't want to think about the betrayal of Revan or Malak… or even the good, honest people who had followed them into the dark side. He didn't understand the dark side, not as much as the Jedi did. They always spoke of it and personified it as a greater evil. Well, he didn't want a part of that. He didn't want to see what they saw… he saw enough evil already.

He figured he had hurt Samirah. Of course he had. She was angry and she didn't usually get angry at other people… except at him and their enemies.

He rolled over as his eyes began to droop and he slowly began to fall asleep, completely aware of the tension between him and Samirah. She, on the other hand, wasn't so blessed with easy sleep. Her hand burned slightly, even with the serum and she mildly wondered if it still hadn't taken full effect. She only had one vile left… and she was determined to get it to Zelka. She hadn't forgotten her promise. Her life to save hundreds, maybe even thousands… well, it was worth it.

Maybe it burned because she had yet to clean it. She held it up to her face before she slowly sat up. If Carth said anything then she would just try to remain neutral. Every time she got close to getting him to open up, he'd shut down and accuse her of a betrayal she had yet to do. He really didn't trust anyone. Especially her.

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a bottle of water and a med pack. She drank the entire bottle of water once she realized how thirsty she was before she began to apply the med pack to her hand. The wound didn't look as bad as it did before but it certainly didn't look pretty. She was at least a bit relieved no one had even thought to check it out. She didn't need them worrying.

When she finished, she lay back down and tried to let herself sleep… but it did not come easy. After possibly an hour of thrashing about, she finally succumbed to whatever you could call it… maybe unconsciousness? No. Not even that…

It was a dark void. It was bleak and cold with a feeling of hopelessness. It would show her flickers of events and people dying. She would see people fighting, arguing and killing. Sometimes it would be vivid and yet when she woke up all she would remember would be a word, or a sound. That was all she could hold on to.

She just stood there. She was shown visions, dreams, thoughts—she didn't know what they were. She never got a decent night's sleep because she always slipped into this empty space.

All she knew was that she wanted it to be gone. Was she the only person out there who slipped into this type of sleep or was it normal? No. It couldn't possibly be normal because she always felt… incomplete.

Maybe that wasn't the right word. She just didn't feel complete and felt alone and empty in this void.

She just wanted to be out of there. She wanted them to go away.

If she was being shown memories—they weren't hers.

If she was being shown visions—they had nothing to do with her.

If she was being shown dreams—no, she wasn't that kind of person. She didn't dream of death.

When she was like this, when she was in the void, all she could do was wait until she woke up from it. Until she was back in reality leading whatever life she had. She wanted to escape the void and be done with it.

She simply had to wait until morning. She wouldn't remember half of what she saw anyway. She simply needed to make it through the night, through the empty void.

A void of unclear images and vague sounds.

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**And, alas, here we are at the end of another chapter. Thanks for reading and hopefully you guys will keep reading!**

**Feel free to review, drop a comment or some random advice or just randomness. Anything to inspire me to continue! **

**Thanks guys, you are awesome! A+++ to you guys!**

**I should update the next chapter towards the begining of next week. Its written already, just have to proofread it first.**

**Again, thanks so much for reading! It makes me feel special! ^-^**

**Love you Guys**

-SilverShards-


	8. Chapter 7: Close Calls

**Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Star Wars or the Star Wars Franchise. Would be a dream come true but for now- it's simply the dream lol.**

**Okay, so I ended up updating much later than I had anticipated. With work and christmas around the corner, I ended up getting sick. So, I apologize immensely for taking so long. So, i figure, this will be the last chapter of the year! It'll be a nice send off of 2010 and i'll try and start 2011 with yet another chapter! So Happy New Years guys and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

* * *

**Close Calls**

_"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing... and a great deal of it is fatal"_

When she awoke the next morning, Carth was still sleeping in the bed with sheets pulled over him. His jaw was set firmly as he slept and she was pretty sure he had his blaster close to him. Was she that much of a threat to him or was it simply a habit?

A soft tap on the door jolted her straight up as she quickly opened the door to prevent them from waking Carth. The tap wasn't that loud but with flyboy over there—she didn't want to take chances. She figured any unexpected event could send him off on a blaster frenzy.

She was pretty sure he would wake up trigger happy if startled and would probably shoot her on sight. You know, the whole: Shoot first, ask questions later kind of guy.

She slipped outside and closed it gently before turning to see Mission standing before her with a smile. She had a bandage wrapped around her shoulder where the blaster had nicked her. It wasn't serious but it wasn't exactly enjoyable either.

"Mission? Is everything alright?" Her voice sounded off but that was simply because she had just woken up. She rubbed her eye, trying to adjust them to the fluorescent lighting in the hall. The lights were going to kill her eyes.

"No, everything's fine I just wanted to say thanks and good luck out there." She smiled up at Samirah, looking the part of a kid. No matter how old she tried to act, she was still a little kid—a remarkable kid with a Wookiee friend. Samirah couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her lips as she hugged Mission softly. Mission froze, a little startled before she hugged her back.

"You don't have to thank me, Mission. I'm just happy that your arm was the only thing hurt. I'm afraid Zaalbar would never forgive me, life debt or not." She pulled away and Mission was gleaming. Mission was happy and felt warm on the inside. Samirah was like an older sister that she never had.

"Knock them dead out there, Sami. We'll be watching you race." Samirah was taken aback a moment when Mission said _Sami_... She slowly smiled before nodding. The last time someone had called her by that nickname was aboard the _Endar Spire_ and that was when she had told Trask he could. She never figured she wouldn't see him again either.

_And you can call me… Sami if you'd like…_

She heard his final words echo in her ears: _Good luck, Samirah._ She never realized how big of a part luck played in all of this. Even though she told him to call her_ Sami_, in his final words he called her _Samirah_. And somehow, that made it sound all the more sincere.

Maybe because he knew those were his final words.

"I'll take the championship, for sure. Now go cheer for me and wish me some good luck." She finally said when she pulled herself from her thoughts. Mission grinned before turning around and running off as a Rodian walked up to her. Mission rounded a corner and when she was out of sight, Samirah turned to the Rodian who stood in front of her. Now what?

"You Samirah, yes?" When she nodded, he nodded. "You ready for big race?"

"Give me five minutes to change and look presentable and I will be." The Rodian nodded again and was obviously not one for words. She opened the door and slowly slipped in, making a bee line for her bag and then the refresher, careful not to wake up Carth who was still knocked out on the bed.

At least, he looked knocked out but she wasn't about to go stepping on his feet just to be sure. She knew better. It was easy to rile him up and she knew that from experience.

She changed quickly and ran a brush through her brunette hair before throwing it up in a ponytail and brushing her teeth. Like usual, her bangs that weren't long enough to fit in the ponytail fell lightly around her face like a frame. She strapped on her weapons for extra measure, slid on her backpack and quietly moved to the door as Carth slowly began to stir. When he opened his eyes she already had the door opened.

He wondered what she was doing awake already… how long had they been asleep? How long had _he _been a sleep. As she slowly moved through the door, he found his voice and spoke, his voice barely audible but loud enough.

"Samirah…" he said her name groggily and she only stopped briefly. She had almost not heard him. When she turned around to see him, she smiled. It was like they hadn't fought the night before.

"Wish me luck, flyboy." She then closed the door softly before turning to the Rodian who was leaning against the wall. "Alright, lead me in the right direction."

"Your friend, he stay out of racing pit. Only racers and mechanics allowed. He stay out." She frowned. Well, she supposed he'd just have to send her good vibes as she raced.

"Can people watch the race?" If a Rodian could visibly roll their eyes, she was sure he would be rolling them at her right about now.

"What, you new? They watch on screen, it show race, people bet, everyone happy! All racers know this. You new? No doubt. Race for Beks? Oh, we in trouble. Much trouble." He said hopelessly at last before gesturing at her to follow. "Come on."

They way he spoke made her feel so much better about racing. He didn't have a shred of hope for her. She followed him as he led her down the corridors, passing by several Beks who casted sideways glances at her. Some were encouraging, some were worried… and some were just plain terrified. She was pretty sure they didn't have that much faith in her either.

_Thanks guys… that's really a confidence booster right there…_

They walked into the racer pit and she was met with an Ithorian Mechanic who was busy tinkering away at a swoop bike. When he turned to see her standing there, the Rodian walked away mumbling about the end of the Beks and again, Samirah was inspired by their nonexistent confidence.

"So, you're the one who's going to ride this swoop bike, eh?" He tapped the swoop bike and when he did, the panel he was working on popped off and terror filled Samirah. She was dead. "Don't worry—"He quickly fixed the panel and closed it softly, turning back to her. She noticed how he was careful not to bump it again. Fabulous. "—I've been working on the accelerator and stability won't be a problem… I hope."

"_You hope._ Well if that doesn't inspire confidence then I don't know what will…" She sighed out loud. This wasn't going to be an easy task then… damn.

"Just to give you the time-frame of the accelerator—you may have no more than four or five races before the accelerator overheats… I think."

"Again. The confidence? Inspiring…" She mumbled, laughing nervously and he attempted to make amends.

"I wish you good luck, human. Don't worry about the prototype overheating and exploding causing your untimely death while you're out on the track or anything… that _probably _won't happen." She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a nervous smile. Too many details. She admired how he tried to remain honest with her but maybe that wasn't the best thing to tell her.

"It may be best if you don't say much more about the prototype. The less I know, the better, I'm sure." He nodded as she pulled on some fingerless gloves and tightened them.

"I think you may be right. Head over to the announcer and he'll get you started." He looked like was about to add something more but stopped and Samirah was grateful. If she heard anymore about how bad her odds were… she might start twitching. She would then be the new _Twitch_ at the dueling ring.

She walked over to the race announcer who scheduled the heats. She glanced to the side where a woman was unconscious in a cage and she only guessed that it was Bastila. Guards were posted around her, a neural disruptor strapped to her forehead. There weren't too many guards stationed around her and that was probably because they didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to try and steal the prize.

They obviously didn't know Samirah yet.

It took every fiber of her being not to just attack them, pick the lock and escape with her. Unfortunately, she had promises to keep and she knew better. The assault had too many flaws anyway. It would have put too many people in danger too. Innocent people. As she approached, the announcer was scrolling through a datapad and nodded.

"Ah, you're the rider for the Beks, I see. I always liked them and do hope they show the Vulkars a thing or two. We've only lost one guy out there and I want to keep it that way so do your best and good luck." She paused, regretting the question she was about to ask.

"Wait—the other guy? What happened to him?"

"Same as usual—he was pushing himself beyond his limits and he hit some debris on the track. The deflectors kept him from crashing, but the force of the impact jarred him from his swoop. Don't worry too much though… they scraped what was left of him off the track already. Just remember to hang on and you should be okay. You can hit the track when you're ready." They both paused for a moment before he looked up from the datapad and just stared at her with a neutral face.

"Not literally of course." He amended after a moment.

"Right… of course not…" She laughed a little to herself in an attempt to calm her nerves… which really wasn't working, at all.

_Oh my stars… I'm dead… _

When Carth exited the room, refreshed, he glanced around for Samirah and found her nowhere to be found. Where did she run off to? She hadn't waited for him to wake up. Instead she just bolted out the door when he _did _wake up. Was she avoiding him today? They didn't have the time for it! She needed to be focused!

Mission rounded the corner and when she found Carth, she was frowning.

"There you are! What, you don't want to watch her race?" he looked at her, a little more than surprised.

"What? It's already started?" Mission nodded.

"Samirah hasn't gone yet, but she's up next! Come on or I'll just leave you here and watch her myself." She took off and Carth immediately followed after. What, she didn't think to inform him first? The nerve!

They entered this area full of terminals where people were watching the races and were betting among each other and he could even hear a few as they betted on the racers. Zaalbar was seated at a booth, a plate of food in front of him. Mission smiled and rolled her eyes—of course, all he wanted was food. He was completely oblivious to the banter around him.

"…What? No way, the human girl racing for the Beks can't possibly…"

"Don't you recognize her? She's the _Mysterious Stranger! _So this has to be good. I've already got tickets to see her fight Bendak… no one thought she had that kind of talent until she actually stepped in the rink. I say she's already got this race down pact."

Mysterious Stranger? Bendak? What did that all mean? Mission hadn't been paying attention to their conversation as she stared at the terminal watching the stats update. She was watching as Samirah strapped herself into the swoop bike, her anticipation spiking. She had faith in Samirah's ability and new she would bring them victory.

"Carth, it's her turn!" He spun around and watched as the lights changed color and her race was about to begin. He felt a little helpless leaving it all in her hands but he had to have some faith right? It was to free Bastila. Samirah had to win.

Samirah was shaking but she refused to let it be obvious. The odds were for and against her in this race. She began to breathe deeply, in and out of her mouth. She gripped the handles tightly as she watched the lights turn on. The time to beat was 0:38:43. She was fairly sure she could beat it… in Nar Shaddaa she had won—then again, it was just a lucky win since her competitor had crashed… never really making it across the finish line so she could have walked across the finish line and still won.

The second light switched on. One more light and she would begin.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. She could win. She can win. She will win. She had no other choice then to win.

That's just what she had to tell herself.

The light turned green and she didn't waste a moment hitting the accelerator. She dodged the debris that was placed to slow her down. She watched carefully, making split second decisions whether to turn left or right. The clock ticked as she raced down the lane, holding her breath as she inched closer, giddy that she was doing so well. She could see the finish line and her hopes soared. She could see the stretch that was between her and Bastila. She was so close. She could see the end of her troubles on this awful planet.

What she didn't see was the debris too close to her left side.

The left side of her bike skimmed the wreckage but it was enough to spin her. She held on to the handles for dear life as the wind whipped her hair around her face and she thanked the stars for having straps on her bike. She didn't dare open her eyes or to even move for fear that she would lose her grip. She tightened her muscles willing her bike to keeping going and to cross the finish line. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on and as each second ticked by she swore she couldn't hold on any longer.

When her bike finally came to a skidding stop, her fingers were gripping so tightly they ached and she was shaking so badly that she couldn't move. When she opened her eyes hesitantly, she looked at the clock and couldn't believe it.

0:27:69.

When the Ithorian came running up to her she gasped for air, not realizing she had been holding her breath for so long.

"You did it!" He yelled. "You got the top time! You just beat racers who've been doing this for twenty years! This is amazing! Even when you hit the debris at the end, had you crashed and died, you still would have won since you still crossed the finish line!" She couldn't even think of a snarky comment to his _even if you died_ remark. She was still shaking too much.

She was breathing so heavily that she wasn't even breathing right.

He was dancing as she hesitantly disentangled herself from the bike, wobbling as she tried to move. The track mechanics swiftly moved her bike out of the way and the Ithorian moved her in the pit, helping her from falling over. He was beaming with joy.

She on the other hand, had trouble being excited as she felt a little light headed. She was sure all the blood had been drained from her face and that her nerves were shot. It was all she could do to keep from falling over. The spinning hadn't really helped anything either.

She really didn't feel like being sick either.

Mission and Carth watched as her bike dodged the debris like a pro. This was amazing! Mission couldn't believe her eyes! Samirah was doing absolutely wonderful! Incredible! Remarkable! They would win for sure! The Beks would win and the Vulkars would be left with nothing! Everything was—

Her bike hit the last bit of debris on the track and her bike began spinning out of control. It had no course, it had no direction, it just started to spin wildly.

Mission froze, as did Carth, afraid of what would happen. The room seemed to go quiet as they realized what was happening and watched as the bike continued to spin. The worst case scenarios began playing through Carth's head.

Each one ending with her death. Each one, a scenario he didn't want to happen.

Unfortunately, like most events that happened, all he could do was watch and hope that her fate wouldn't end in death. How many close calls can one person have in a life time?

The bike kept going straight until it crossed the finish line. It was like the debris did nothing to halt her progress other than to make her a little sick.

It continued to spin until it came to screeching halt and Samirah didn't move. Everyone in the room had stopped watching and had begun to cheer when they saw the time: 0:27:69. She beat the winner and had even miraculously survived. Carth let out a deep breath and tried to control his breathing and panic that had begun to build up, as did Mission. They weren't sure if she realized how close she was to… well, painting the walls.

Carth couldn't believe it. She escaped death… again.

The two started to smile at her time as it ranked number one. They were ready to celebrate until the number one rank was replaced with a new time: 0:27:59. She was out done and they watched as Samirah glanced at the scoreboard and stared horrified. Carth seriously thought she was about to attack the racer—she even inched in his direction but stopped at the last moment. He watched as several emotions leapt across her face and changed just as quick. Horror. Anger. Frustration. Confusion. Fear. Contemplation. Resolution. And then, that all familiar look—Determination. She let out a deep breath and tightened her gloves: that look of determination he knew so well taking hold of her.

She couldn't be serious.

She was going back? After that last race, she was going back out there? Carth couldn't believe it. She was tempting fate. He knew it, but he couldn't do anything about it. She was a risk taker. She would do just about anything to free Bastila and he knew it.

He knew she would take and risk at her own cost to complete her goal. Why couldn't she be a simple girl who was cautious?

He was really hoping that she would change her mind and find a different way to save Bastila.

Unfortunately… he knew better.

She was 85% sure that she was losing her mind. She had to be crazy to be going back out there. Even she knew that she wasn't ready to go back. Her legs still shook and she couldn't keep her hands still as they shook immensely. She would manage. She would be able to do something

She always did.

The Ithorian glanced at her as she tightened her gloves, not seeing how her body still trembled from the first heat. He had faith in her abilities, after seeing her last heat. He figured she'd still be able to make it across the finish line—whether she lived through it was still to be determined.

As she raised her head to meet the curious Ithorian's gaze, she found her resolve. She was ready to take this race, she made that a promise. No Vulkar was going to outdo her.

"Redros was the one who beat your time, I should have known. But that's okay; the day ain't over my friend. Oh no. The accelerator's still holding together so you can still race. You just have to get out there again and show them how it's done. You have the potential so I know you'll win." She nodded as she walked over to the announcer before he could tell her about the potential she had of dying.

The announcer looked up at her and began setting up her new heat. He figured she wasn't done racing yet either.

"Ready?" She nodded.

"Just set it up and I'll win this time." If he could visibly smile, he would and she could tell that. He looked at her with what only could be his version of a smirk.

"I'll hold you to that. You're ready to hit the track… again, not literally. We don't need more of those." She laughed incredulously as she walked over to her starting point and climbed into her swoop bike. Always so pessimistic, weren't they.

She tried to calm her trembling body and found it difficult. Her nerves were so shaken that she really didn't have control over her body. She shook her arms out trying to _will_ them to do what she wanted and she was finally able to regain some control. Some.

She was ready. She had to be.

She didn't exactly have the leisure of time.

She strapped in again and took several calming breaths as everyone around her was ready to see what she had to offer. She was going to beat the Vulkars and she refused to lose. She cleared her mind of the pressure, her emotions, her guilt, her stress; everything that was crammed into her mind was pushed to the far corners of her mind.

Her body slowly stopped shaking… completely.

There was no fear. There was nothing.

All she knew was that she was on a bike and racing like there was no tomorrow—which would be the case if she couldn't free Bastila. Again, not an option. She didn't hear anything around her. She stared at the lights as they changed color and when they hit green, she hit the accelerator. She glided through the lane like she had been doing it for years. She dodged the debris and sped through, switching gears when necessary. A few times the bike would shake and she would mentally pray to the stars that it held together and it did.

When she flew across the finish line, she let out a shaky breath before she looked up at the clock to see her final time… she gasped, unsure how to respond. What emotion was she supposed to display? What was she supposed to do?

Carth and Mission stared at the terminal as Samirah stayed focused on the track, moving so gracefully on the bike and skidding to a halt across the finish line. Her final time flashed across the screen and everyone inside the room leapt up in the air in excitement.

0:19:14

It was nothing short of a miracle. Mission screamed and hollered as she danced around in circles and Carth… well he still couldn't believe it. She said she had raced once or twice before… but this was not what he had expected at all. It was… unexpected and that wasn't even a word to describe it. Astonishing. Startling. Shocking. People were so amazed and in such awe that no one was sure how to respond but be excited—until they remembered who won and lost the bets.

Though, some of them didn't care that they lost—it was a race worth betting on.

Carth watched as Samirah finally looked up at the board and shock flashed across her face. Her mouth opened a few times but she wasn't sure what to say. The Ithorian Mechanic ran out on the course and hugged her as he danced around, throwing his arms in the air. Carth just didn't know what to think. She did it. Now, they only had to wait to see if anyone could beat that… but it didn't seem likely.

From the looks on the other racer's faces… he was pretty sure they could tell it was useless. Even they didn't think they could beat it.

How was it possible? How did she do it? He wasn't sure if he believed it himself. Samirah Noval Alda. A little scout who traveled across the rims of the galaxy was winning back the freedom of a Jedi. If he hadn't been there to witness it… he wouldn't have believed it. Never would he have thought she had the capability of doing the things she did.

He never expected so much from such a small girl.

Samirah sat down in a corner as the Ithorian brought her a bottle of water that she accepted graciously. Her elbows were resting on her knees as she held her head in one hand and drank her water with the other.

"I still can't believe it, you did it!" He said for the fifteenth time. "In twenty years I've never seen anybody handle a swoop like that before! Nobody's going to beat that time—nobody! And you didn't have to die to do it!" He was still giddy with excitement and Samirah continued to drink her water, sad that it was almost empty already. Glad she hadn't died? At least there was _some_ optimism in that. Did that even count? "I suppose Gadon knew what he was doing when he picked you to ride for us. Now the only thing is to wait for the time to become official and go collect your prize." He said triumphantly before he went to tinkering at the bike.

The moment he touched it the panel fell off again and a screeching noise was heard on the inside the engine. It sounded like metal grinding and shredding against something vital. He casted an uneasy glance at Samirah and when he met her eyes, he tried to smile before returning to the bike to tinker. A chill ran through her body, a tingling feeling that chilled her to her very core.

So it was a good thing it only took two heats. After that, it was a time bomb ready to explode.

Perfect.

She waited patiently as time passed by and each racer emerged cursing and kicking the air. Many tried to beat her time and she lost count at how many tries they had. It was definitely more than her restriction of two. Some times were just getting worse and worse with each attempt. She emptied the bottle and sat patiently until the announcer was sure everyone was done racing. They sort of lost their enthusiasm. Everyone crowded around him and she hoisted herself up to stand close so she could hear him speak as well.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the winner of this year's swoop race! Samirah Alda! Put your hands together and show your appreciation for one of the most daring riders this swoop track has ever seen!" She blushed as she gained applause from fellow racers—save for the Vulkars, of course. "Through your skill and courage, you have proven yourself the premier swoop rider on Taris, and brought great glory to the Hidden Bek gang!"

A couple of Beks whistled and cheered. By winning, the Beks stood a chance. The announcer continued as Samirah's face continued to blush. She wasn't used to a lot of attention. She actually tried to avoid as much attention as she possibly could.

"Now, here to present the champion's prize: Brejik, leader of the Black Vulkars." A man walked in front of everyone, glaring at Samirah. He was obviously not happy that she won. His body was tense but even through his glare he wore a smirk on his face. A smirk she didn't like. Why was he so smug?

"Hear me! Before I present the so called _champion_ of the Beks with their prize, there is something you must know: the winning rider cheated!" Everyone gasped at the accusation and Samirah moved to the front of the crowd, staring him down. Was he crazy?

"_Excuse me!_ Cheated?" He nodded with a self-satisfied look.

"Yes, its' exactly as I have said and so—"She interrupted him, clearly not pleased about his response.

"Where's your proof Brejik? I have not cheated because I can't alter the times that we have! What you are saying is untruthful and clearly insane! Duh! " She shouted. He pointed a finger at her as a sneer spread across his face.

"Your swoop bike was using a prototype accelerator—clearly an unfair advantage!" _What? Was he serious! _"Because of this Hidden Bek treachery I'm withdrawing the Vulkar's share of the victory prize!" Samirah stared at him as an uproar erupted from other racers and onlookers.

He wasn't going to give her Bastila? Like hell he wasn't! She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him like he was crazy. That was low to bring up the accelerator when he was planning on using it himself.

"You're taking back the Republic officer? You must be a few starships short of a fleet if you even _think_ about laying one hand on her you Kath hound! I dare you to take one filthy step towards her…" He glared at her and was about to respond when the announcer broke in.

"You can't do this, Brejik! You know the rules: nobody's allowed to withdraw a victory prize after the race. It goes against all our most sacred traditions." Brejik looked at him with a scoff.

"You old fool, your traditions are nothing to me—I am the wave of the future!" He raised his hands in self glory. Self satisfaction.

What a moron.

"Brejik, I don't give a Psadan's patoot what you _think_ you are but you can't withdraw the prize... I dare you to _try_ and take her." Samirah was ready to battle this out if he so much as inched closer to her. He grunted like he thought her to be some petty little girl… oh, this man pissed her off by just the way he looked at her.

She really wished he tried to make a move. One step to give her a reason to attack him.

"If I want to withdraw the prize and sell this woman on the slave market myself, nobody can stop me!" Samirah was about to retort when a voice rang from the side.

"I might have something to say about that Brejik." Bastila stood, the neural disruptor breaking from her head. She flicked her wrist and the guards flew back against the cage and slumping back down. Brejik looked at her with wide eyes. She knelt down to retrieve the keys dangling from one of their pockets. Samirah watched, unsure what to think.

Bastila? Could she do that the whole time?

"What? Impossible! You were restrained by a neural disruptor! How could you have possibly summoned the will to free yourself?" Bastila opened the cage and stepped out, picking up a sword that one of the guards had been holding.

"You underestimate the strength of a Jedi's mind, Brejik—a mistake you won't live to regret!" Brejik stepped back, shaking his head.

"You think you can do this? I will teach you what happens when you mess with the Vulkars. The same for you!" He shouted as he pointed at Samirah. "Vulkars—to me! Kill this woman! Kill the swoop rider! Kill them all!" The Vulkars brandished their weapons as did the Beks—they were willing to fight for her. Samirah pulled out her blade and immediately leapt at Brejik as the others began to fight.

She wasn't going to make it this far just for Brejik to take Bastila away. She wouldn't allow it.

Mission and Carth watched in complete surprise as Brejik refused to hand over the prize: Bastila.

"What? No, he can't do that! This was our chance to rescue Bastila!" He slammed a fist into the wall as Samirah argued with Brejik... Carth, recognizing that forceful look and posture. He knew that she would battle them, not even thinking about her odds—just as long as she got to Bastila. They watched as Bastila finally stood and exited the cage. A battle then ensued as people began running and leaving the racer pit trying to avoid a fight. Carth and Mission cast glances at each other before they spun around and darted out the door, heading straight to the racer pit in an attempt to help.

Zaalbar looked at his food a moment longer before finally getting up to chase after them. He really hated leaving perfectly good food behind but he also hated it when Mission left him to go find trouble. She really was reckless.

Neither one of them noticing the one man who stared intently at the screen, a grin on his face as he watched the fight. He liked what he saw.

She was exactly what he needed.

She was just the right kind of crazy.

When Brejik finally fell, Samirah let out a sigh of relief until she turned to look at Bastila. The relief felt like it just melted off of her. She got her. She finally saved Bastila. As she stared at Bastila, she noticed how her attention was focused on the body of the dead leader of the Vulkars.

Well, Ex-leader.

"… Maybe those bloody Vulkars will think twice next time before trying to keep a Jedi prisoner!" She turned to glare at Samirah, which caught her by surprise. Had Samirah done something wrong… already? "As for you, _champion, _if you think you can collect me as a prize—"She stopped as she suddenly recognized Samirah. The recognition flashing on her face.

"Wait… I don't believe this! You're… you're one of the soldiers with the Republic fleet, aren't you? Yes, I'm sure of it. How did you end up racing for those swoop gangs?" She asked puzzled. What an odd thing to do.

Samirah put her blade away and smiled meekly at Bastila. Wasn't exactly the kind of reaction she had expected but it would do. Just as long as she was safe, nothing really mattered.

"To be quite honest, it's a bit of a long story."

"Well, we don't have time for it now. We have to get out of here before the Sith show up to sort out his mess. Is there somewhere safe we can go?" She asked, picking up her things that Brejik kept on him. He had been planning to sell them but never got the chance… and never will. That, Bastila was sure of.

"Yes, an apartment I was planning on taking you back to once I saved you from Brejik. I was actually—"Bastila's head snapped up at the word _save _and she looked at Samirah with an incredulous look. Was she joking?

"Save me? _Save me?_ Is that what you were trying to accomplish by riding in that swoop race? Well, as far as rescues go this is a pretty poor example." Any respect Samirah had for Bastila evaporated in that moment. A pretty poor example? Did this woman seriously just belittle all of her efforts?

Oh, heavens no.

"_Excuse me!"_ Samirah said a little annoyed. "Do you have _any_ idea what I've gone through to get here?" She ignored Samirah and crossed her arms.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I managed to free myself from the neural restraint collar without your help. In fact, it's more accurate to say that _I_ saved _you_! Brejik and his Vulkars would have left you for dead if I hadn't stepped into that fight. You're lucky I was here to get you out of this mess!" Samirah laughed humorlessly and more out of disbelief.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me! I can handle myself, thank you. If you think Brejik stood a chance then you are _poorly_ mistaken. As for your _escape,_ you very well took your damn time escaping. What, decided you wanted an audience or something? Show how flashy you could be? Didn't think you needed to escape until now? I think you're just a little bit confused, _Jedi._ You were a helpless prisoner until I came along. Face it." She narrowed her eyes at Samirah. Did this Republic scout really want to start a fight with a Jedi?

"I may have been a prisoner, but a Jedi is never helpless. Maybe you've heard of a little thing called _the force_?" Samirah matched her stance with a glare of her own.

"And maybe you've heard of a little thing called _humility_?" Bastila started to say something but closed her mouth. Samirah just smirked."…_thought so…"_ she mumbled.

Oh, she wasn't going to back down. She had put up with Carth and his insults, his accusations and his distrust of her every motive. Like hell she was going to put up with Bastila's too.

Enough was enough.

"I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on you… you did _try_ to save me after all, even if it didn't go quite as planned. So let's get down to business—we're not out of danger yet. If I'm going to figure out a way for us to get off this planet, I need to know what kind of resources we can draw on. First, are we the only survivors left from the _Endar Spire?"_ Samirah crossed her arms, not liking her self-imposing attitude.

"You know, Carth and I are already working on a plan to get off Taris… jeez… a little appreciation wouldn't kill you…" Bastila immediately perked up at the sound of Carth's name.

"Carth Onasi is alive? Finally, some good news! Carth wouldn't have sent you if he wasn't confident in your… abilities." Bastila frowned and Samirah wanted to laugh. Right… if only she knew about his so called _confidence_. "Forgive me—despite my Jedi training, I still tend to act a bit rashly sometimes. Please, take me to Carth right away before the Sith realize we're—"They were interrupted by Carth and Mission who arrived breathing heavily with their weapons drawn.

Ready to start shooting… only they were a bit late to the party. Mission seemed a little upset that she had missed the action and Carth was just content to see that Samirah was still breathing.

"Samirah!" She turned to look at him, surprised at his sudden arrival and relieved expression. "Thank the stars you didn't get yourself killed… again!" When he looked up and saw Bastila, he was astonished and excited! "Bastila—you're alive! Finally things are looking up!" he shouted. Samirah only frowned.

Obviously, once she saved Bastila… everything would change. She would become an accessory and those two would do the rest… he probably trusted her more so then he did Samirah. Who wouldn't trust a Jedi of Bastila's caliber even if she was… a snob about it. As soon as they got away, she was requesting a transfer. She was going to go back to scouting and away from all this. She couldn't do it anymore.

She wasn't needed anymore. Carth only needed her to save Bastila. What more did she expect? What did she think would happen when they found Bastila? Once they were out of here, she would leave. She could go back to being on her own.

She never should have expected anything from this.

"Listen, we can have your reunion later, let's get out of here. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention… or more of it." Samirah finally said a little irritated which surprised Carth.

Was she still upset about the conversation the night before? She had seemed so much better that morning—what happened? When she spun around, not waiting for an answer, they followed after her obviously noting her change in attitude.

She figured, the sooner they were off this planet the better. She didn't want to spend anymore unnecessary time there.

As they walked through the door, they ran into Zaalbar who growled in irritation. He could have stayed with his food in the cantina. Mission grabbed his arm and pulled him along with the group as he sulked about the casualty. His food.

They hurried down the hall and avoided the shouts from gang members and racers as everyone tried to get their bearings, trying to figure out what had happened and what they were supposed to do. Samirah maneuvered herself around everyone avoiding people who were just running to run. Some didn't know what was going on but knew they needed to get away before some kind of authority arrived—say like a couple of Sith?

They figured that the Sith would just open fire on them. That would not make for a good day.

People bumped into them and she hoped no one recognized her as the swoop race champion… or as the _Mysterious Stranger. _Wow, she really had made a name for herself here.

A couple actually.

As she got closer to a way out, everything around her disappeared. It was like falling into that void again. That same solitary, cold, lonely void where she resided when she fell asleep or unconscious or whatever it was: It was bitter. It was nothing. It was emptiness.

It was unusual.

She never fell into that void while she was awake and still conscious… it just never happened.

She wasn't sure what happened, but she was no longer in the Undercity or with her companions, she was aboard a ship with… Bastila? She was attacking Dark Jedi and when the fight was about to turn toward the leader of them all, an explosion erupted behind the person who fell, crumpled to the ground. Revan? When Bastila spoke, she confirmed her suspicions about the fallen Dark Jedi. What was Bastila doing there? What was Samirah doing there, watching the event?

What was this? It was different then it was at night, when her mind drifted away to whatever emptiness awaited her. It was more than a dream or vision, but she wasn't sure what.

Carth watched as she slowly stopped walking and wobbled. He watched her cautiously before she suddenly fell over and he leapt out and caught her before she hit the floor. She lay limply in his arms, her head lolling back and he immediately knelt down to the side of the hallway. He positioned her so that she was lying in a cradle on his lap, her head back and eyes closed.

Bastila and Mission knelt down beside them, alarmed at the sudden movement, Zaalbar keeping watch as everyone focused on her.

"What happened, Carth?" Bastila questioned, uncertain. Carth shook his head.

"I-I don't know." But an answer of sorts breathed through his mind.

Had the serum not worked? Was this what happened when someone turned into one of those creatures? Did it take this long? Fear rippled through his body at the very idea of this tiny form in his arms becoming such a creature. Her face contorted, not exactly in pain but he didn't like it all the same.

"Hey, Samirah! Hey!" He yelled out at her shaking her, hoping to keep her with him. He didn't want her becoming one of those creatures. He wouldn't allow it. He just wouldn't. Not after everything she went through to get to this point.

The void was suffocating. She never liked being there. She didn't understand why she was there and why it constantly showed her things like this about people she didn't know, events that didn't concern her and things she had never done. Her mind was playing tricks on her.

She never really thought she was the type to go insane… maybe she was. How would you know if you were going insane or not? Could you tell? Or would you simply tell yourself that you were normal? She didn't know. How could she?

A familiar voice spoke in her head.

_Now how do you know if you're not just insane, acting sane?_

She couldn't remember who had said that but she remembered the conversation. They had a point. How did you know? Her response had been simple: _Now that is the real trick, isn't it?_

Answering his question with a question.

She didn't have the real answer. Did he? Who was he? Why couldn't she remember?

Insanity. Sanity. How did one really know? Talk about timing because this had to make history books for worst timing ever—of course it would happen when she was an inch away from freedom.

She couldn't blame the empty space on Carth and his doubts either because it had always happened ever since she could remember—the void at least. The visions? No, those were something new.

The suffocating feeling intensified before slowly lifting. It was like a concrete wall being lifted from her chest—from her mind. She was yanked out of the dark space. It felt like someone had tied a string around her waist and yanked on it, dragging her out.

Samirah blinked her eyes several times until everything disappeared and she saw Carth shaking her, a frightened look on his face. When she blinked a few more times she stared at Carth, a little hesitant. Why did he look so scared? After a few more moments she found her voice and asked the first question that came to mind.

"…Why are you shaking me?" She asked not out of frustration but surprise. He looked at her just as confused. After a few moments he was able to speak back to her. Was she ok?

"You blanked out… you just sort of fell… What happened?" He asked. His voice was a little shaky from the thoughts he had had earlier. She wasn't exactly sure why but she put on her best smile and meekly spoke. She wasn't there anymore—in that void. She was here.

"I don't know… I'm fine now though... I think. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure. Maybe it was just the stress finally getting to me." Carth breathed out unsteadily. She hadn't been changing. She wasn't becoming a creature. Maybe it really was just all the stress up until now, catching up with her. He knew she must have had the weight of the world on her shoulders trying to get to Bastila. She had done most of the work, now that he thought about it.

Suddenly, it occurred to them both that he was holding her on his lap in a cradle. That familiar blush rising to her cheeks as the situation hit her. He was holding her. She froze, unsure what to do just as he did. They kind of just stared at one another. Was he supposed to move? Was she?

It was Mission who smirked and broke up the situation.

"Alright you two, come on. Best if you guys get up off the floor before attracting more attention." She smiled before holding out her hand to Samirah who gingerly took it.

She stood up as Carth gave her a little push and kept his hands held out to make sure she was stable. He finally hoisted himself up off the floor and they dusted themselves off, Samirah still blushing immensely. She casted a sideways glance at Carth.

He caught her? He didn't let her fall.

For whatever reason, she was surprised by it—even though he had done the same thing back at the apartments with Matrik. It just didn't seem to fit him since he was adamant about not trusting her… at all. She supposed that with all of his hostility towards her lately, he would be smug at the idea of her falling and getting injured.

Maybe that was mean of her to think, but she couldn't help it. He hadn't ever really given her a good reason to trust him in such situations. It reminded her of a trust fall. Those things you did with friends when you were supposed to fall back and _trust_ that the person behind you would catch you. She had always thought that he wouldn't catch her and now that she thought about it… maybe she had judged him too harshly.

She should never have judged him to begin with—that was never something she usually did but with Carth… it was so easy. Too easy, in fact.

Now that she was really thinking about it, he did save her from the escape pod when they escaped the _Endar Spire._ He had done other small things afterwards and doubted her… but he usually came through. Of course he would voice his opinions—no matter how hurtful or critical they were—but in the end, he wouldn't hesitate to step up and help her out.

She shook her head and decided to postpone the rest of her thoughts for later. This wasn't exactly the place to start wondering about all of that.

"Come on, we can talk more when we get to the apartment." When she got worried stares, she smiled and laughed softly. "Really, I'm fine. Honest." Carth looked at her not really trusting her words, but he let it go again. Like most things she said.

He was worried. He wasn't going to deny that. It worried him that he didn't know what was going on. Stress? Rakghoul disease? He just wanted to know what was happening. He wasn't exactly sure about her being okay though. He was pretty sure she wasn't. As they walked to the apartment, he kept his eyes on her, noting how distant her eyes seemed. It was like her body was on auto pilot.

He just hoped she would be okay—he wanted her to.

Walking to the apartments, she shoved the void and the visions to the back of her mind hoping that she could at least wait until they were out of Taris before resurfacing again. She had never blacked out before, at least randomly. Sure, in the middle of a fight if she had been hit hard enough but it was rare. Especially when the opponent wouldn't hesitate to kill you had you done so.

She went to great pains to keep conscious.

But she wasn't in the middle of a fight. She hadn't been hit. She had merely been walking.

She wanted to scream since all she had was a bunch of questions and hardly any answers.

It was simply infuriating. She rubbed her head as the visions danced before her eyes again. They had to be visions or something because they weren't her dreams and they weren't her memories. She saw people suffering and dying, she saw the battles between Jedi and then sometimes she saw nothing. She simply listened. To sounds. To screams.

She couldn't remember if it was one of the many holovids she had found on planets she explored, recorded in datapads left behind by Sith, or simply scenes described in the stories the criminals would tell over an alcoholic beverage in the many cantina's she had been to. Had her mind put an image to the stories? To the datapads? Reviewing holovids in her mind?

Why couldn't she remember? Was there this empty slate in her mind?

Surely she wasn't that sadistic. She wasn't sadistic at all, she hoped. She tried to be as peaceful as she could and avoid as much conflict as humanly possible. The last thing she wanted on her mind was the thought of people dying but she couldn't escape those thoughts. She couldn't escape the terrified looks and battles that ensued.

And the fact that she didn't recognize any of it… made it all that much worse.

* * *

**Thanks for reading yet another chapter to my story! I hope it was to you expectations and maybe more. I would love to hear what you thought and should post another chapter within the next few days to kick-start the New Year! We'll make this year a fantastic one yet!**

**_"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are."_**

**So let's move forward guys! **

**Thanks again for all the support and I wish you the best ending to 2010 and a wonderful start to 2011!**

**Samirah is anxious for me to continue so I won't let her or you guys down!**

**Much love and appreciation to you guys!**

** SilverShards **


	9. Chapter 8: An Answer? Or a Question?

**Disclaimer: I do not own SW: KOTOR or Lucas Arts or anything similar. Really. I don't.**

**Hey guys!**

**Here's another chapter to kick off the new year! (9 days late... but its not my fault lol) I hope you enjoy it and its what you expected!**

* * *

**An Answer? Or a Question?**

_"All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord."_

When they reached the apartment, Carth smiled excitedly as he slumped down on the couch. Bastila stood in the middle while Samirah simply leaned against the wall to the side. Mission and Zaalbar went about their own business, leaving them to whatever discussion they were to have. They didn't really want to get involved. They could kind of feel the tension in the air after everything that brought them to this moment.

From what the two friends had observed—a conversation between Carth and Samirah wasn't good. A conversation between Samirah and Bastila wasn't good. They weren't sure how a conversation with Carth and Bastila went but they were sure it was about the same. This would be their first chance to see a conversation between Carth, Bastila and Samirah… and frankly… they weren't excited. The idea of those three talking wasn't very comforting.

They figured it wouldn't exactly be a smooth conversation at all so they decided to sit back and stay out of it.

"Finally, now we can figure a way to get off this planet… not exactly the vacation I had been hoping for…" Carth said stretching his arms out and trying to relieve some of the stress he too had been feeling. A vacation did sound nice. Unfortunately, he wasn't bound to get any until the war was over. And that in itself would take a while, he was sure.

Bastila looked at him in shock.

"You can't be serious? You mean you don't have a plan to get off Taris yet? What have you been doing all this time?" Samirah lifted her eyebrows at Bastila and just wanted to throw something at her. An apple, a chair, a Wookiee—hey, there's an idea. Just one word from her and Z would tie her up and throw her in the closet.

The idea made her smile but she wasn't one to follow through with such plans... the kind of plans with malicious intent. Damn her consciousness.

So she opted for sarcasm.

"We've been out gambling, partying, and just having ourselves a _wonderful_ time. It's a shame you missed out. Would have been more fun with your _cheery_ attitude..."She said in feigned excitement. Bastila turned and glared at her, not appreciating the sarcasm. Well, Samirah didn't appreciate the tone.

"Don't you have a plan, _Jedi?_ We were looking for you the whole time because apparently it never dawned on you to escape yourself. Our time was spent looking for you so what's your excuse? You were locked up in a cage so surely you have some tactful and well plot out plan, right? Because that's what Jedi do, am I wrong?" When Bastila didn't respond, Samirah smirked. "Didn't think so…I'm getting pretty sick of your attitude…"

Samirah realized she'd been around Carth and Bastila too long. She was starting to be cynical and sarcastic—more so then usual.

Carth had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling. Wow, and he thought it was bad when he and Samirah fought. At least it took them a while to get to fighting terms—She and Bastila started the moment they met.

"_My attitude?_" Bastila said. "It strikes me that you're the one in sore need of an attitude adjustment. I happened to be in charge of this mission, if you'll recall." Samirah rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, must have missed that memo. Must have been between the near death experiences we keep having and making sure you were alive…" She retorted. Bastila didn't like it.

"Listen, I am a member of the Jedi order and this is my mission, don't forget that! My battle meditation ability has helped the Republic many times in this war and it will serve us well here I am sure!" She said confidently.

"Like setting you free of the Vulkars? Yeah, I can see how well that one worked out of you." She rolled her eyes for the fifteenth time. "Just because you have _talent_ with the force, that doesn't make you a diamond, right away. You might have the potential but right now, you're still some unpolished piece of coal if you ask me…" Samirah stated. Bastila gripped her lightsaber as it dangled from her belt and Samirah smirked.

She wouldn't dare.

"What? You want to hit me with your glow stick?" Bastila fumed.

"It's not a _glow stick_, it's a lightsaber… and the thought _has_ crossed my mind…" Samirah rolled her eyes again. Wow, she was _really _becoming cynical and was hoping that would change once she was out of here and away from the sources of her new found attitude.

"Um, well, it glows and it's a stick so by definition… yeah, that makes it a glow stick." Bastila was about to retort when Carth jumped in.

"Bastila, what she means is that your talents might win us a few battles but that doesn't make you a good leader! A good leader would at least listen to the advice of those who have seen more combat than she ever will." Bastila was about to retort when Samirah finally just through her hands up in frustration.

"Oh will you be quiet for once? It's like you just have to be last damn person to speak! For just a moment, put aside your pride. Instead of getting all hung up about this, we need to move on to better, more productive things on our _lovely_ agenda. So, everyone just needs to—to cool their engines! This isn't helping and I don't know about you guys, but I want off this planet… now." Carth and Bastila nodded… even though Samirah did contribute to the fight, she was determined to end it.

"Yes… you're right, of course. I apologize. I would be happy to listen to your advice Carth. What do you suggest?"

"First off, we can't get hung up on who's in charge; we need to work together if we want to get off this rock." Samirah almost scoffed at the idea. She was pretty sure she had said something like that not too long ago when talking to him, though… it wouldn't exactly be productive to bring it up right now. She was mentally kicking him repeatedly, though. That made her feel a bit better. A bit. "The answer's out there, we just have to find it." Bastila nodded.

"Well said, Carth. And the sooner we start looking the better; I've already been a prisoner of the Vulkars and I don't plan on being captured by the Sith."

At the sound of the Sith, Samirah perked up. If it was one thing she wouldn't let happen, it was the Sith taking someone from her. Even if it was Bastila… and even though she hated to admit it… she was vital to the war efforts. She may banter with Bastila, but she would stick by her if it was to go against the Sith. She would not let them succeed to take more people from her.

"Well, I'll tell you now that I don't exactly plan on being captured either. So I won't let them take any of us… that I swear." Bastila wanted to turn and retort something about not needing to be saved but when she saw the expression Samirah wore as she stared at her hands… she stopped.

"I think we'll need some help getting off Taris. Maybe if we ask around, one of the locals can help us out. We should probably start by asking around the Cantina's."Bastila said, still watching Samirah until she dragged her gaze back to Carth. He nodded before walking over to Mission who sat in the corner sifting through her pazaak deck.

"I'll see if Mission knows anything. She knows just about everything there is to know here. Starting with her could be useful and productive." When Samirah started to move, Bastila stopped her.

"Is… is something wrong? You seem as if something is troubling you." Samirah looked at her with no hostility or resentment like Bastila had expected. She just simply looked at her. Timidly even.

"Truth be told? Lots of things but don't worry about it. And I'm sorry as well. I've been a bit snippy and it's been like this for the past few days. Carth hasn't helped and yet he has… My stars, he may be the end of me. If it's ever a question of sanity… I'm sure to lose it…" She laughed softly and Bastila saw how sad she seemed to be.

"Do you and… Carth fight a lot?" She wondered. It couldn't be that bad.

Samirah laughed as she glanced over at him. He sat down across from Mission as she began dealing out a hand, not even asking if Carth wanted to play or not. She just started the game. They seemed at peace. She knew they were probably trying to keep from going crazy… but they had that serene façade that she wanted.

She wanted everything to be simple again. Explore. Travel. Survive.

"Do we fight? Just about every conversation we've ever had ended in a fight. I don't know what else to say. He doesn't trust me and I suppose I understand why… I don't know. It's complicated. What's funny… is that I don't even know what part is complicated. That he won't talk? That I can see his uneasiness? I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't."

She realized that she was talking to Bastila about it and just laughed. Of all people… "Don't worry, I'll get us off this rock that way you and Flyboy over there can… go save the galaxy. Win metals. Defeat the evil lurking in the shadows. Be heroes. Be what you guys were born to do." She said with less enthusiasm then she had wanted.

It sounded better when she tested it in her head. In her head, she sounded enthusiastic and jealous that that was the life they led. She sounded optimistic, confident and carefree.

Out loud… she sounded indifferent and neutral. Like she was troubled by the thought and that she was just a neutral party.

"What do you mean by that? You don't want to stop Malak?" Samirah glanced at her, a little bewildered. Bastila seemed a little worried by the idea. Didn't she want Malak stopped too? Didn't most everyone?

"Of course I want him stopped, he's done terrible things but what can I do? I'm just a scout who got lumped into a league far out of my own." Bastila thought she was joking and when it was apparent she wasn't, she spoke.

"Out of your league? I doubt there were flashing signs that pointed you and Carth in my direction and yet you found me. You avoided being detected by the Sith, discovered I was a Vulkar prisoner, gained sponsorship for the race and became the Taris swoop champion. Am I not correct? That is quite the resume, Samirah." She lifted an eyebrow at her as she blushed. The blushing surprised Bastila.

Samirah was a little embarrassed by the sudden praise from her and looked away, self-conscious. She made it sound like she had done all those things by herself. Had she been alone, she would never have accomplished everything. In fact… she would probably be as good as dead.

"Well… I didn't do it on my own you know. I had Carth and then there was Mission and Zaalbar as well. Without them, I don't know what would have happened. They were my pillars—they kept me standing." She stammered.

"Your modesty is admirable, but though others helped, you were the catalyst for these events… weren't you?" Samirah blushed some more.

"Well, I mean…" She wasn't sure what to say. She was a little more than stunned. She didn't handle praise very well. Even though Bastila seemed like a Jedi snob… being praised by her was something she hadn't expected. Did this even count as praise?

It was still nice to hear. It kind of made her feel good, like this warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. That idea of doing something good and worthwhile.

"A Jedi could have done what you accomplished but only by relying heavily on the force." Samirah laughed and looked at Bastila with a smile.

"I think you're underestimating us non-Jedi. Sure, maybe the force helped me, but I didn't rely on it. I relied on those helping me." She shrugged. It was something she was learning to do. She didn't just lay all of the burdens on them, but they did help her carry them. If she could keep them from harm's way, she was bound to do so as well.

"Perhaps. The force does work through us to some degree or another. There are even some individuals outside the order that we consider _Force sensitive._ It is obvious to me that the force has been working through you. There is no other explanation for your great success, though I am not certain what to make of this discovery. If you weren't—well, if you were younger the Jedi might take you for training. But as it is…" Bastila looked away, lost in thought as Samirah looked at her oddly.

"Was that a crack at my age?" Bastila's head snapped up and Samirah started laughing. "Calm down, I know you didn't mean it that way. It was a joke. You seemed to be elsewhere as you finished talking so… what were you trying to say? The Jedi? What an odd little thought." Bastila realized what she had said and frowned.

"I'm sorry; I've overstepped my authority. I'm speaking of things that are best left to the Jedi council. For now, let's just accept the fact that you are… gifted. Hopefully between your abilities, my Jedi training and the skills of our companions we can find a way off this planet." She finished with a sigh and Samirah took that as the end of the conversation.

"No, not hopefully. We _will. _I'm sure of it." Bastila looked at her, not sure what to make of her confidence, optimism and sudden enthusiasm. Samirah smiled at her with a big grin.

When Samirah turned around, Mission was leaving the apartment and Carth was walking back to them, surprised they weren't in a heated argument by now… and that he had just lost a game to Mission… and a few credits. He knew he shouldn't have played with her—she didn't look like an easy win.

"Mission's gone to ask Gadon if he has any ideas on how to get out of here. In the mean time… what should we do? Ask around the Cantina? Make a few credits somehow?" He said that last bit as a response to his recent loss of credits.

A sudden thought struck Samirah when he said _Cantina _and _Credits_. She checked the time as the color drained from her face. Was it that time already? She nearly had forgotten… and she almost wished she had. Unfortunately, this wasn't something she could just ignore. She was sure she'd be hunted down if she had forgotten. An angry mob or something.

Angry mobs were something they probably needed to avoid.

Carth noticed her sudden change in attitude and that worried him. Whenever her demeanor changed, so did their plans because he wasn't about to let her go on some suicide mission… not alone at least. He knew better now.

"Samirah…?"

"It seems I have a task or two to complete before we do anything else…" Carth didn't like that. Not one bit.

"What do you mean by that?" He said quietly, his eyes locked on her face. Samirah glanced at him with a sheepish smile.

"Um… well, it's kind of a long story and I think I'm going to be late so you might as well come with me." Carth and Bastila followed her to the door, stopping briefly to look at Zaalbar as he sat at the table eating something… she wasn't sure what he had put together but she was sure she'd have to get more food.

"Would you like to come with us, Zaalbar? We're heading to the Cantina for a bit." Samirah asked. She didn't want to leave him out of the loop. He shook his head before roaring his response to her.

"**No, I'll wait for Mission to return if you do not mind, Samirah. I haven't eaten in a while either… I hope that isn't inconvenient for you…" **He wondered out loud. He was about to stand and leave his food if she required his presence but she shook her head, laughing lightly.

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. If you want to wait for her, then that's what you do. We'll be fine. I have these two with me so we should be good to go. Just let her know we'll more than likely be at the cantina. You can reach us on our comlinks." She added. She wasn't used to wearing comlinks so she had to remind herself that she even had one. As a scout, she never wore such things.

She never had anyone to talk too. On the odd occasion she would have a partner, but even then, comlinks were risky.

Zaalbar nodded to her, making a low rumble to voice his acknowledgement. She smiled as he turned back to his food and began to scarf it down. She wondered what meal he was on—his third? His forth? She wasn't really sure if they even counted how many meals he ate. As long as he ate and as long as he was happy—that was good enough for them.

She turned back to the door and yanked it open, allowing Carth and Bastila through before closing the door and reprogramming the security system she had tinkered with. Whoever had the apartment before them hadn't really invested in security but there had been enough to tinker with.

Bastila noticed the extensive security and was slightly impressed. At least they weren't _completely _helpless. She could rest easy at night knowing that they were protected by whatever security Samirah had worked up. She hoped at least.

When Samirah had finished, she turned and nearly collided into a Twi'lek who had been approaching them.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, please excuse me, I'm—"The Twi'lek smiled and she immediately had her guard up. It wasn't Larrim and she was pretty sure she hadn't seen this guy around. Who was he? He wasn't a resident here. If he didn't live in the apartments… why had he approached her?

**"—You! Human, you are the rider who won the Great Swoop Race in the lower city, yes?"**

A chill ran down her spine and she wasn't sure she liked his sudden arrival. How did he know she would be here? They were supposed to be there in secret? Was she followed? Was it too well known who she was? Blast it! News traveled too fast here!

"Why… what do you want?" She asked hesitantly.

**"Me? Nothing. I am only the runner sent here by the man who hired me. I have a message from Canderous Ordo. He says to meet him in the cantina."** Shock lit up her face as she recognized the name.

"Wait, hold up. Canderous? Are you sure about that? Isn't he that Mandalorian that works for Davik?" The Twi'lek nodded.

**"Yes, that's the one. Given his connections, you can see why it would be wise to attend this meeting. Canderous didn't say why he wanted to meet you. He only said he had an offer you couldn't refuse. It would be foolish to ignore his request." **

Bastila fidgeted, a little unsure. She didn't sense any reason to not trust him but she still didn't like the idea. Especially if a Mandalorian was involved. Things were never good if Mandalorians were around.

"Samirah…" Carth warned. He didn't like it either. She was too trusting and he knew she was bound to go meet him. That was something he didn't want her to go off and do. Danger liked to follow this little scout.

Samirah simply ignored his tone, watching the Twi'lek intently.

"A Mandalorian? Are you sure I'm the one you're supposed to come talk too?" She asked really hoping she hadn't done something to piss him off.

She really didn't want to add meeting him to her list of things to do. Was he a racer? She didn't remember seeing him in the pit… then again, she hardly remembered any of the other racers. All she remembered was racing and winning. That was the only reason she had raced to begin with.

The Twi'lek nodded.

"**You won the swoop race right? You're the swoop race champion, right?"** When she nodded slowly, he smiled happily. **"Then yes, you're the one he wants to meet."** She finally gave up and nodded. Of course… she had made a name for herself. And if it was a Mandalorian, they would be sure to get the right person.

"Thanks for the message. I'll meet with him as soon as possible…"

**"A wise choice, human. I would advise you not to wait too long. Mandalorians are known for many things, but patience is not one of them."** He smiled as he turned and walked away. Samirah rubbed her temples.

Great, something else to add to her list of things to do. Did it never end? Luckily, it was on its way to the dueling ring so she could knock out two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. Bastila and Carth shared a glance before Bastila spoke.

"Samirah, I do not trust this meeting." Samirah looked back at her with a faint smile.

"It should be alright, Bastila. If you don't feel comfortable going, you can wait here." Samirah meant it as an option but Bastila stood firm with a frown. To her, it sounded like a test.

"No, I will come. You need my guidance." Samirah rolled her eyes but smiled. Wasn't she doing well without Bastila constantly badgering her? She had made it this far hadn't she? She had accomplished the impossible task of saving Bastila, though the woman would never admit it.

"Fine, come on then. We're on a tight schedule…" She said that last part more to herself than to anyone but it didn't escape Carth's ears.

As they moved down the hallway, they noticed how everything seemed normal for the most part. Just the same as it always had been which was a relief to her. Everything looked to be normal, for the most part.

As they moved, Carth stared at her expectantly. Well, was she going to tell them or lead them on a wild goose chase? He didn't exactly trust her daring plans… they usually had a high chance of her ending up either seriously injured or… well dead.

As they made it to the street, Carth and Bastila shared a glance, obviously thinking the same thing. She wanted to know what Samirah was up to just as much as he did. She didn't have the same experience with Samirah as he did so she kept quiet and let Carth speak. She hoped that Samirah was wrong about them always fighting.

"Samirah…" Carth started.

She had been submerged in deep thought about Bendak. Her death match with him was weighing heavily on her mind. She didn't want to kill him… but she really didn't get the choice to argue it with him. He saw skill in her. He saw a worthy match. He saw another victim that he was ready to crush.

This match wasn't exactly going to be an easy one.

When Samirah didn't respond, Carth started again.

"Samirah…Samirah!" He hissed in her ear loud enough to startle her but not loud enough to draw attention. She jumped and spun around to look at him with wide eyes. He had been very close and the unexpected proximity had startled her more than anything.

"My stars, Carth! What? You nearly scared me out of my mind and no offense, but I kind of like having a _little_ sanity left. _Not that I have a shred of it left anymore…_" she said the last bit softly and more to herself while Bastila put her hands on her hips, assuming the role of a superior.

"Well, you should be more aware of your surroundings. If Carth was able to startle you, I'm beginning to wonder how it is you did so well around the Sith." Samirah shifted her gaze into a glare. Always that haughty attitude with her…

"Listen, you can doubt my abilities all you want. We've made it this far—"_No thanks to her._ "So stop with the attitude, will you? As surprising as it may sound, I know what I'm doing."Bastila had begun her retort but stopped when Carth beat her to it.

"Ok, so what exactly are you doing?" He questioned. They stood off to the side of the walkway and waited quietly.

She fidgeted a little bit knowing Carth wouldn't exactly be too thrilled about fighting Bendak. Maybe she could opt out on the whole _death match_ thing. It wasn't that important, just a minor detail... that held a lot of significance. Though, he didn't need to know. She was starting to learn that the less Carth knew… the better.

"I have to visit a doctor by the name of Zelka Forn at the clinic and then I have to do a final duel. Just some simple tasks, that's all." Carth rolled his eyes.

"Nothing's ever simple when it's you we're talking about." He said softly, but loud enough that she heard. She raised an eyebrow at his comment. Did he really want to start?

"_Me_? Simple with _me_? I know you're not about to go there, Carth Onasi, because if memory serves—which it does—you're the one whose always difficult. You know, you could always stay at the apartment if you don't like my methods." She mused aloud.

Bastila glanced between the two as their eyes were locked and she could almost see the different messages being passed between them. Neither side wanting to let up and give in. It was like they were having a mental battle, one without words, without sarcasm and angry shouts. They simply locked eyes and after several moments, Bastila felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to speak up but she didn't want to be left on the side. When she cleared her throat, Carth diverted his eyes.

He had started to retort something but thought better of it. To a degree, she was right. He didn't have to be a part of her plans or put up with any of it. He could leave her to her own fate and just continue on his own. He did have Bastila with him, didn't he? She was safe. With her help, they would be able to get off the planet on their own.

But that would mean leaving Samirah behind. Even though she argued with him, even though her plans and methods always tended to be a little on the dangerous side—especially to her—and even though she was insistent to get him to reveal his past to her… the thought of leaving her behind, leaving her alone on Taris—that was worse than any betrayal he had ever endured.

It would be a betrayal done by him. The idea of betraying the girl before him was sickening and he cursed himself for even having the thought. Despite all the negatives, she remained positive. She put herself in danger before risking the lives of anyone else. Even though her plans were dangerous… they worked out in the end: she always came through.

Her intentions were pure and that was why he would just shut up and let her do what she had planned. She always had reasons for doing it, right?

He would let her win this time. He didn't want to start arguing with her right now anyway. She was stressed out enough as it is.

Samirah watched a few moments longer as he kept his eyes diverted. She wondered what he could be thinking. Was he debating whether or not to stay behind? It would actually be better if he and Bastila would stay behind but she knew that was too much to hope for.

When it was apparent that he wasn't going to say anything more, she moved on towards the Clinic. She was eager to hand over the vile to Zelka. He had been skeptical of the idea when she spoke to him last. He didn't think it was something she could procure and truth be told—neither did she. It wasn't until she was holding the vile in her hands that she was sure it was possible.

Especially when she found two full viles of serum and plenty of empty to almost empty viles—signs that the Sith Patrol had tried to use the serum before being slaughtered by the Rakghouls. She was ready to hand it over to Zelka so that he could begin to mass produce the antidote to the Rakghoul disease.

She wanted to help.

When she stepped through the clinic door, his assistant was gone and Zelka was at his desk furrowing his brow. He had papers on the desk in front of him and he was studying them intently like the answer would be there if he continued to stare. Samirah was a little hesitant to approach him, not wanting to interrupt his train of thought.

He finally dropped the papers on his desk and rubbed his eyes showing obvious signs of exhaustion. He was thoroughly tired. As Samirah took hesitant steps towards him, his head snapped up finally seeing them and he smiled. He tried to gather up the papers while focusing on them as he slid them into the top drawer in his desk.

"Ah, well, if it isn't the young girl from before. How are you wounds healing?" He asked as he closed the drawer and stood up from his desk. He hid his tired expression very well.

She tentatively touched the healing wound on the side of her head. It was almost healed up except for a small pink mark that was sure to go away after a while.

"After visiting you, perfect." She said with a smile and earned her one in response. His eyes examined her and he chuckled to himself.

"It seems you've acquired more already. You really do attract danger, don't you?" Carth scoffed at the thought of her _attracting_ danger. Oh no, she didn't just attract it, she almost always caused it.

Samirah jabbed him in the stomach and he made a muffled sound before giving her a funny look. Did she really just elbow him? She was fighting the smile that the simple act tried to bring to her face. It actually made her happy to jab him. She didn't hit him hard, but just enough to get his attention.

He deserved it anyway.

Zelka dragged his eyes from Samirah to finally look at her companions and see who had accompanied her to his clinic.

"Ah, well it seems you've brought friends along this time. Hello and welcome to my clinic. I run this little facility and can cure almost any ailment… except for the Rakghoul disease of course." He said, his eyes glancing curiously at Samirah again. "Which, speaking of the disease… I'm rather curious as to why you are here?"

She smiled as she reached into her belt pouch and pulled out the remaining vile of serum. His eyes went wide at the thought of what the vile could be.

"I told you I would get a hold of it… didn't I? I have the serum to cure the Rakghoul disease, Zelka. I have it." He shook his head slowly like he wasn't sure if he believed it. It seemed so impossible. A goal so far away that he would never have guessed it to be a possibility… even with it in front of him.

"You-You have the serum? That's impossible! There was no way you could have gotten a hold of it, how did you—"He stopped and shook his head, laughing. "Never mind… I don't really want to know… it may be better if I didn't." He gingerly took the vile from her and gazed at it in the palm of his hand.

"This… This is it… I can hardly believe my eyes. If I wasn't holding it now I would never believe that in my hands… was the cure to the Rakghoul disease. You have brought me enough to make plenty. With this I can mass produce it and help fight off that damnable disease. I'll be able to make enough for everyone!" He said so excitedly. It almost looked like the exhaustion he felt earlier had completely evaporated.

He looked back up at Samirah, relieved and in awe at her accomplishment. He couldn't believe that she had gotten a hold of the serum only to hand it to him. She could have done a thousand and one different things with the vile—but instead, she entrusted it to him.

"The people of Taris owe you a debt they can never repay…" He moved to his drawer and was rummaging through it until he found a pouch and brought it to her. "Here, take this small reward. It isn't much, but it's all I can afford: A few credits and two spare med packs."

As he held them out to her, waiting for her to accept them, she simply stared at the bag. A reward? She dragged her gaze away from the bag and up to Zelka with a small smile. What a kind hearted man.

"Zelka… thank you, but I can't accept this. You keep it. You'll need it more than I do. I never expected a reward and I don't intend to accept one now. I'm simply happy to have helped." Zelka stared at her with wide eyes, hesitantly holding the bag. She laughed softly before closing his hands over the bag. "Really, keep it." He slowly shook his head, but retracted his hand, holding the bag to himself.

"You truly have a noble and generous spirit. You deserve something, I hope you know that." He took the bag back to his desk and he thought for a moment. "Tell you what… how about a discount whenever you shop here? Med packs, healing, anything—I'll give to you for a discount." She smiled.

"You really don't have to Zelka, honestly." He shook his head.

"No, I won't take no for an answer. It's the least I can do and I plan on doing it." He said with finality. Apparently there was no arguing the point. Bastila had been observing and was pleased by his generosity.

"That's very kind of you. We're just glad to be able to bring some relief to the suffering of these people." Samirah turned to look at Bastila with a puzzled expression. How would she know? She was stuck in a cage the entire time! She was playing it off like she had been there when they acquired the serum.

Samirah was tempted to speak out against her but stopped. It didn't matter who received the credit so long as the people were being helped.

Zelka smiled to them.

"I don't believe you've ever told me your name…"

"Samirah. Samirah Alda." He nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, Samirah, I'm glad you stumbled into my facility. Come and sit so that I may treat your wounds… they look fresh so I can only guess what you've been up to." She smiled sheepishly before moving and sitting down on a cot.

He pulled out a medical kit and began to administer treatment to small bruises, cuts and the like. He shook his head as he worked. He had never had a patient who had gotten into as much trouble as she had—at least when it came down to the wounds. He caught a glimpse of her hand and held it up to the light.

"What in the—How did you manage to do this?" He asked, examining her hand.

The cut wasn't sealed properly and whoever had bandaged it had done so in a sloppy manner. Around the cut was an awful shade of purple and blue, an obvious bruise that looked painful. Her veins seemed a little darker than usual around the spot and he wondered what she could have done. When he looked up at her, her cheeks had turned a deep shade of pink and her eyes were averted.

"Well… I sort of… um… you see, I kind of got a little too careless around a Rakghoul in the Undercity and he managed to scrape my hand…" When she looked at him, he was frozen with shock. He didn't know what to think.

He suddenly reached for the vile and she stopped him before he could inject her with it.

"NO! What are doing! Zelka, Stop!" She snatched the vile away as he frantically tried to inject her with it. Carth had been mostly quiet and wasn't sure who to grab—the doctor or Samirah. He opted for taking the vile before it was dropped and shattered across the floor.

"Samirah, if you've been infected, we must treat you—"

"I have been treated. I found one other vile and used it. My hand just hasn't healed all that well, but I'm fine. I promise. I wouldn't have put you in danger if I was infected, that I swear." She looked at him with a pleading look before he finally calmed down and accepted it.

"Y-Yes… I suppose so… forgive me, I was just so worried that you had risked your life to make sure the vile was in my hands." Carth looked at Samirah wondering if that was what she had been thinking.

Had there only been one vile… would she have used it on herself or instructed them to give it to Zelka? Carth didn't really need to hear her answer because he was pretty sure he already knew which choice she would choose. She would have given up everything to fulfill her promise.

Zelka began to treat her wound, chastising her for not taking better care of it. He used some ointment and kolto on the wound and sealed the cut up so that it could heal properly. When he had cleaned it all up he wrapped it up with a bandage and double checked everything.

Samirah, on the other hand, had her eyes intently focused on a closed door. From where she sat she could tell that it was locked with some high level locks. After so many years in her field she learned to spot difficult locks from far away.

"Zelka?" She asked in a low tone. He was tightening a bandage and was so focused that he simply made a small, barely audible sound in acknowledgement. "What's behind that door? Usually clinics don't have locked doors to rooms that big… I hope you don't mind me asking."

Her eyes were still fixated on the door, curious about the secrets. When Zelka looked up to see the door she was talking about, he immediately became fidgety.

"That door? There's nothing in there at all. It's just a store room. Empty. Worthless. Vacant. There's nothing in there at all." He said, trying to ignore the door and her question. "Now, all you need for the wounds is—"

"If there isn't anything in there, you wouldn't care if I took a look, do you?" If the room truly was empty, she could probably find a use for it. With locks like that, it could be their base of operations until they found a way off Taris. It would be much easier than the dusty old apartment they had back at the complex. She would surely find a way to pay Zelka back for letting them use it.

A few tweaks and the lock system would be perfect.

She hopped off the table before Zelka could process what she was doing. The moment she reached the door, he understood her intentions. He tried to reach her before she opened the door, but she was already breaking through the lock.

"No! What are you doing! Stop, please, that door is for employees only!" As he grabbed her wrist, the door popped open and her smile faltered as he pulled her away.

The room was definitely not empty.

"What… what's going on here…" She said as she stepped over the threshold of the door. She glanced at all the glass cylinders of water with men floating inside. She glanced at each of the faces, realizing that she remembered them from the _Endar Spire._

One sat next to her during her shift on the deck and another she recognized from the mess hall. Some were new faces but that didn't change the fact that she knew where they were from, where their allegiance lied.

"These are Republic Soldiers… I know some of them..." As she passed over their faces, she did a double take over one of the soldiers. She almost hadn't recognized the man. Without his snarky remarks and hat slightly tilted to the side, he was almost a stranger to her.

"Devron! It's flight captain Devron Uhdea!" She shouted, pressing her hand against the cold glass that separated her from him. His eyes were shut and he bobbed up and down in the green water, oblivious to the world around him.

Zelka walked up behind her, glancing from her to the soldier.

"You… you recognize these soldiers? This soldier? Are you… are you a friend of the Republic?" he asked hesitantly. She glanced at him, a little uneasily and saw how Carth tensed up. He wasn't too keen on their secret being out.

"I guess there's no reason to keep it a secret anymore. Yes, my name is Ensign Samirah Alda, a scout for the republic. Why are you holding them here? Are you… caring for them?" She asked looking back at Devron. She knew that he _looked _ok but that he probably wasn't doing all that well.

"Since the space battle overhead, people have been bringing soldiers to me, all in secret of course. I don't want to think about what would have happened had they been discovered." He walked up to one of the soldiers, glancing at his stats.

"What choice did I have? I couldn't just leave them to their fate, or worse… to the hands of the Sith. Their injuries are terrible, most won't survive. But at least I can make their last days more comfortable. And at least here, they are hidden." He shook his head at the charts before turning back to Samirah.

Bastila watched the distressed scout as she glanced at each cylinder. Where was he? Why wasn't _he _here? She double checked several of the soldiers, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the injuries were hiding his face. Bastila walked up next to her, looking at her intently. What was she looking for?

"Samirah?" She stopped, looking from Bastila to Zelka.

"Is this everyone? Do you have another room? A hidden passage way?" She asked anxiously and when Zelka shook his head, her heart fell. "So… he isn't here…" Bastila straightened up and furrowed her brow.

"_He_ who?" She asked curiously. Samirah just shook her head, hoping they would just drop it. Carth knew better than to pursue the conversation, but Bastila didn't. "Samirah, I believe we should know who it is you are looking for?" She placed her hands on her hips and focused intently on Samirah.

Samirah just shook her head, really wanting to skip this conversation.

"This isn't the time Bastila…"

"I don't see—"Samirah shot her a glare, wanting her point to get across.

"This. Isn't. The time." Bastila closed her mouth, but wasn't going to drop it. To change the topic, Carth spoke to Zelka who was a little nervous at the encounter between the two women. He couldn't afford for their argument to draw attention to his clinic.

"Well, I must say that you have my thanks. It's good to know that at least some of these men ended up in compassionate hands." He nodded and looked at the cylinder that Devron floated in.

"Is there… anything that I can do to help?" Samirah said in such a small voice that it surprised Carth. When he looked at her, he was surprised to see that a sad expression had taken hold of her face. She wasn't looking at him but at Devron.

"Unfortunately, all that can be done for them is done. Nothing else will do much more to help them but… I appreciate the offer." He said quietly before leaving the room to wait out in the front.

Samirah didn't move.

She guessed it was too much to ask for Trask to still be alive. That small glimmer of hope that she had was extinguished. At least Devron was safe… for now. She hoped his injuries weren't extensive, he was a good soldier. A soldier she appreciated and admired.

With one last fleeting look at the cylinder, she moved away and walked out of the hidden room. Carth and Bastila followed after her, not oblivious to her change in attitude. As soon as they were out, Zelka locked up the room again and watched as she walked to the door.

He felt bad for not being able to assist her further, but he had done all that he could. Samirah gave him one last smile and thanks before opening the door. She didn't notice the assistant off to the side until he was approaching her. How long had he been there?

He stopped her, frowning. He opened his mouth to voice his dislike of her choice, of not taking the chance to earn more money through Zax. She looked at him, knowing what he was going to say and beat him to the speech.

"Listen you little weasel. I told you once before and I'll say it again. No. No to you. No to Zax. And hell no to Davik. You want the cure? Do yourself a damn favor and get it yourself! I don't have time to play word games with you so just shove it!" She shouted flicking her wrist in the air above her as a sign to end the conversation.

He stared at her wide eyed before backing off and letting her move by. She was tired of the evil, of the crime lords and of every misfortune that befell the people around her. The slime ball wasn't worth a breath of her time. Before walking past him, a thought occurred to her and she fixed her gaze on him just for extra measure.

"And you better take _really_ good care of those soldiers because if you don't… Not even Davik will be able to save you're pathetic little life…" She didn't care how cold she sounded or how menacing she looked. She knew that he would probably turn those soldiers in if they offered credits in return. She was going to make sure he didn't.

He slowly nodded before stumbling back. Zelka watched from his chair, a smirk on his face. That assistant of his had it coming and he was happy that Samirah was the one to put him in his place.

She walked past him, leaving him speechless at her outburst and leaving Carth and Bastila a little perplexed. As soon as they were out on the walkway, Carth grabbed her wrist and pulled her to a halt. She didn't turn to look at him, but kept looking ahead.

"Samirah… What's gotten into you? You nearly scratched his eyes out for simply approaching you! Granted, I'm sure he had it coming, but you wouldn't normally do that. What happened?" When she didn't move, he tightened his grip around her wrist.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." She said through clenched teeth. Bastila didn't believe her and she knew it. "Listen, we can talk about it later but I'm late for an appointment and would really like to get there before they think I've forfeited, ok?" When she said that, he let go of her wrist.

"Appointment?" He then remembered that she had mentioned a duel and he suddenly became very wary. "Wait a minute. Are you going to duel someone? Again?" When she didn't look at him, he became anxious.

"Samirah, just what do you have planned? For once, will you fill us in?" She started walking, not responding to him and he followed after her.

"It's just another duel, but I have to be punctual to this one…" She said. It was a match between her and Bendak Starkiller. A death match. He wanted a fight, she was going to have to give it to him.

If there was a way to get out of it without killing him, she would take it. Unfortunately, she was pretty sure he wouldn't be up for it. He was very adamant about the _death_ match part. She was anxious and worried about it but knew she had to appear confident. How did she get always find herself in these types of situations?

He had started to question her, but decided against it. He didn't want to rile her up before her _appointment._ He had this sixth sense that said she wasn't telling him everything. When did she ever? What was he supposed to do about it, though?

The only thing he could do was trust that she knew what she was doing. That's all he could really do. Again. Wow, she didn't leave him very many options?

He frowned as he simply followed her, hoping that wherever it was she was taking them didn't end badly.

If there was one thing he had learned: she knew how to find danger and at its source.

* * *

**How was it? If you wouldn't mind, I would love to hear what you guys think so far!**

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**I'll try to update soon, just need to proof read the chapter, but it should be ready soon!**

**Much love to you guys and thanks!**

**-SilverShards-**


	10. Chapter 9: Unraveling Secrets

**Disclaimer: Ok, It's the same as the past 8 chapters... I think you guys get the idea **

**Well, here it is! I try not to wait too long before updating so hopefully i'm updating at decent times. As always, thank you for reading and I hope it's too your liking!**

**Enjoy! ^-^**

* * *

**Unraveling Secrets**

_"If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much."_

As she stepped inside the Cantina, she found a familiar face seated at a far table, sipping some Tarisian ale. Maybe sip was the wrong word. He was gulping it down like there was no tomorrow. It was a table off to the side and against the wall. He was more relaxed than she would have expected but then again, who would want to mess with a Mandalorian?

Other than her, of course. As Carth liked to remind her, she liked to be a bit brash.

"So here sits the famous Mandalorian, Canderous Ordo. To what do I owe the honor of this meeting?" She asked with a smile, all signs of her earlier tension gone. He turned, guzzling down his glass and filling it again.

"Ah, so you decided to show up. Good choice, kid." He gulped his glass again and repeated his process. Pour. Drink. Pour. "I saw you in that swoop race… impressive. Very impressive in fact. You seem like you know how to get results… the kind of results that I'm after." She pulled up a chair, sensing an interesting conversation ahead of her. Conversing with a Mandalorian was intriguing on its own. What kind of results was he after?

Carth and Bastila stood beside them, leaving the conversation to Samirah. It was her that he had wanted to talk to anyway. Carth didn't like it. He didn't like leaving these kinds of things to her. Things tended to end in dangerous missions by time she was done talking. He was slightly worried and Bastila knew it.

The constant fidgeting gave him away.

"What are you after, Canderous?"He smiled. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on the table. His hand was still wrapped around his glass, but he was focused on Samirah.

"As you probably know, I've been working for Davik Kang and the Exchange. The hours aren't great, but they promised me a fortune to work for them and I have nothing better to do." He shrugged, downing the glass of ale and shaking his head. "Mandalorian Mercs, like me, are in high demand."

"Of course you are. You're people who can get the job done—no matter the means."He smirked at her, pouring himself yet another glass and pouring her one. He pushed the glass towards her and she simply clasped it between her two hands.

It gave her something to fiddle with as they spoke. She swirled the murky, burnt orange liquid around as she gazed at it before looking back at the Mandalorian. A big grin was spread across his face.

"You're smart. That's exactly it except… lately Davik hasn't been paying me what he promised. I don't like getting cheated, so I figure it's time for me to break the Sith quarantine and get off this backwater planet." He said with disdain. He wasn't happy about being cheated.

It wasn't the smartest move to make when dealing with Mandalorians. They had a bad habit of mutilating people when things didn't go the way they wanted. Canderous definitely looked like he would blow some places up if he got cheated. If this was the worst retaliation Davik would receive from it all… he should count his blessings.

"Ok. He's cheating you. You want out. That makes sense and all, but there's only one part I don't get—why tell me? I can't exactly extract the money from him or anything and I don't exactly have a ship to get us out of here." He was still smirking as he nodded, making eye contact with her.

Carth fidgeted, not liking where this was going. How was it she always found trouble wherever she went? She always found trouble. Always. It never failed… it didn't matter who she was talking too, what they were talking about or where they were, she always found someone who sent her off to do dangerous things.

He wondered if she had ever had just a simply friendly chat with someone. No ulterior motives, no hidden agendas, no dangerous missions—just a friendly chat about the weather or the latest news.

Okay, maybe news wasn't the best option with Malak and all- but it was better than discussing how to accomplish the mission they were bound to send her on.

"Well, you see, I've got this plan to escape Taris, but I can't do it alone." Carth knew it.

If a Merc couldn't accomplish this alone, it had to be dangerous. Bastila, on the other hand, was intrigued. Sure, it was risky trusting a Mandalorian but if he could get them off the planet then she was all for it. At this point, any plan was better than their plan—which was still in development.

"I need someone I know can get the job done to help me. That's where you come in."He said with a smile.

"Careful, Samirah. Mercs like this haven't a lick of conscience… they'll betray you in a heartbeat. This could be a trap."Samirah frowned at him. He was being far too judgmental.

Canderous turned, leaning back into his chair with his arm draped over the back rest as he raised an eyebrow at the pilot, a small, unimpressed smile in place. So this was her motley crew? He remembered the pilot from the Undercity but he hardly uttered a word there. The woman beside her was new to him though. He remembered her being a prize for the race so that explained her presence. It didn't explain her formal stance and the superior look she seemed to have. He was hoping they weren't a part of the package deal.

"Do you have a better plan, Carth? I don't exactly see another way off this planet because I don't have a ship, you don't have a ship—none of us have a ship here to get us out of here. So, with that in mind, I figure we're plum out of luck. This is our only option." Carth grimaced. She was right.

"As much as I hate it, Carth, she's right. I don't see any other—"Bastila started but Canderous shot them a look with his eyebrows raised.

"I ain't talking to you two, am I? I'm talking to your friend here, right?" Before either one of them could talk, he turned to look at Samirah again, ignoring them. Bastila wasn't happy with the idea of being interrupted though. She glared at him but kept her mouth shut. "I saw you win that swoop race, and I started thinking. Anyone crazy enough to race like that is probably crazy enough to break into the Sith military base."

"What!" Carth shouted, unable to stop himself while Samirah started laughing, ignoring Carth.

"_Crazy_. You don't know the half of it. Break into a Sith military base, huh?" She leaned forward, intertwining her fingers and resting her chin on them. "Ok, I'm intrigued. You have my undivided attention. What's your plan?"

"Samirah, you can't be serious! Are you insane?" She flinched when he said _insane_ and didn't like his tone. "Breaking into a _Sith_ base? That's practically suicide!" She looked at him, tired of his attitude. Nothing was good enough for him. He wanted a way out. She got one. Why was he complaining about her methods now?

"Then don't come." She said it coolly before looking back to Canderous, ignoring Carth's shocked look.

Don't come? Don't come! What did she mean by that? Was she serious? She couldn't be—she had to be joking. Unfortunately, from her attitude towards him and the fact that she was ignoring him now… he must have crossed the line, but what was it? What had he done now?

Damn it, he hated how frustrating she was. He didn't know what to think anymore and it was driving him crazy.

Canderous was smiling at her, approving of her attitude towards the soldier boy. He didn't need him screwing up the plans anyway.

"You were saying?" Samirah prompted and he was more than happy to continue.

"I need someone to steal the Sith launch codes from the base. Without those codes, any ship leaving the atmosphere will be disintegrated by the Sith fleet's automated defense guns."She nodded.

"Ok, so why should I help you? I'd really hate to assist you and get cheated myself." She asked coyly. She wasn't about to do all of this and not get any help off this planet. Canderous smiled, knowing this was going to be brought up. Of course she wanted some insurance.

"Here's the deal: you bring me those launch codes and I can provide the vehicle to get off the planet—Davik's flagship, the _Ebon Hawk." _She raised an eyebrow in question. That was quite the promise.

"How are you going to manage that? That can't exactly be as easy as it sounds." He shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"Uh-uh. Not quite yet, kid. First, you bring me the launch codes and then I'll fill you in on the rest of the plan. Codes first." He stated with a smile.

She stared at him for a few moments longer before conceding with a slight sigh and a smile. She wasn't going to know that much until she brought him the codes. A smart Mandalorian. Interesting.

"Ok, fair enough. How do I get inside?" She countered. She was going to get whatever information she could. He leaned forward, pouring himself a glass of ale and downing the contents. He set the glass down and began to fill it to the brim again.

"There's a droid shop that Davik was having a droid custom built. The owner's name in Janice Nall and she should have it done right about now. Pick it up. It'll get you inside and you'll be able to gain access to the Sith base and the Codes we need. Without that little droid, you have no chance of getting inside." He leaned back in his chair, his glass of ale still in his hand. Samirah nodded thoughtfully as she processed the new information.

Apparently he underestimated her computer skills, but nonetheless, she would acquire the droid if only to humor the Mandalorian. Then again, free droid did sound nice. He was bound to come in handy if they were able to keep him and she was pretty sure handing the droid back over to Davik would be low on their priority list.

"Normally, I would do all of this myself, but everyone knows who I work for—helps with business, you know. If I broke into the Sith base, they'd send an army down on Davik's estate to get those codes back. That's why I need you." He downed his tenth glass and started to pour another but thought twice about it. He frowned as he set the bottle back down and settled with watching Samirah as she contemplated.

She noticed how his eyes drifted back to the glass a few times.

"I don't sense any deception from him, which is surprising. This may be exactly what we need." Bastila voiced. She had been surprisingly quiet which Samirah was thankful for. She figured Bastila would have been first to voice her disapproval of the deal Canderous was offering. Guess Carth beat her to the punch.

Canderous shot her a slightly annoyed look. He didn't like the interruptions Samirah's companions seemed to bring. If they tagged along, he hoped they could keep the mouths on mute—would make the job that much easier to bear.

"…Glad to have your approval…" He said in a scornful tone, earning another glare from Bastila.

"It's a deal." She stated with a smile.

If he wasn't afraid to back talk Bastila, then Samirah was certain that he and she would get along just fine. Canderous smiled at her acceptance as he leaned forward, cracking his knuckles. Everything looked like they would go by smoothly and that was just the way he liked things to happen.

"Good to hear. I'm going to wait in Javyar's cantina. You come find me when you've got those launch codes and I'll make sure we both get off this rock." He didn't wait for much more of a response before he scooted out of his chair. He took one long look at the glass he had poured before ge picked it up and downed it. When he set it down, his eyes drifted over to the bottle. There was a fair amount left in it... he debated whether or not he wanted to finish it or not.

A moment later his hand swiped the bottle up and he finished it off before setting it back down on the table with a sigh of contentment.

Samirah couldn't believe that he had finished that entire bottle of Tarisian Ale and yet, not a single sign of intoxication. He must be able to hold his liquor extremely well. He shot her a final smirk before walking out of the cantina.

Samirah stayed seated, rolling the new information around in her head. She needed to pick up the droid, fight Bendak, infiltrate the Sith base and find Canderous to get out of there. Why was it that it sounded so much more complicated when you phrased it like that?

Carth watched as she thought about everything, trying to figure out her next step. He hesitantly sat across from her and Bastila frowned. She felt just a little left out. Carth was a little protective of this girl and he had no reason to be. He worried too much. She was reckless and careless. Bastila didn't think she cared what kind of danger she brought them into, but at this point, Bastila was simply along for the ride.

A role she didn't like to possess.

"Samirah, what are you planning? Because frankly,—"Carth had started but was cut off by a sharp look from Samirah.

"No, Carth. I'm not doing this right now. I'm not fighting with you, I'm not arguing with you and I'm sure as hell not going to put up with you and you're constant disapproval of my actions. I'm getting us off Taris. You want to help? Go get the droid." She actually didn't want him here for the fight. She didn't want either one of them here. They weren't likely to approve of it so it would be better if they were off getting the droid of something like that. She wanted to do this on her own.

Just like she used to.

Carth stared at her, unsure how to respond. Was she trying to get rid of him? Well, he wasn't that easy to get rid of, that was for sure. Bastila stayed quiet, sensing the inevitable argument. Samirah wasn't kidding when she said that they argued quiet a lot.

"Now, you hold on just one second! I was simply trying to get a sense of what you were thinking! You don't have to go and bite my head off, what's your problem?" When Samirah laughed, it wasn't filled with humor, it was empty.

"My problem? What's my problem? You! You are my problem Carth! You don't trust a damn soul and think everyone is out to turn on you, well no. No. I'm not doing this. Even though I'm pretty sure you owe me an explanation, I'm sure I'm not about to get one. So why don't we just end it there?" Bastila hesitantly laid a hand on Samirah in an attempt to calm her down but she just shook it off.

For a fraction of a second she was shocked by the motion. Samirah didn't even spare Bastila a look. It was like she had forgotten who was standing beside her. Bastila finally decided that they weren't going to be normal unless they ripped each others throats out so she opted to be productive.

"Fine. I suppose I'll go retrieve the droid, then."

When she didn't receive a response she walked away, annoyed. They would probably end up killing each other but she wasn't going to let that stop their progress. Those two were just a bad combination. She was going to let them battle it out and hopefully, when she returned, they would be all smiles and ready to accomplish their goal of departing from this dreadful planet.

She hoped.

"An explanation? What kind of explanation?" He wondered. What was she talking about? She rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated laugh. It was getting tiresome trying to explain everything to him.

"The only explanation I've been after. Your distrust of every living thing out there. That's the only damn thing we talk about!" She stated angrily. He was as dense as a stone!

"I told you that I didn't want to talk about any of it! Why can't you just let it be?" She was still trying to figure him out? Why? Why couldn't she just let it go? He still didn't get why it was so important to her. Most people would have dropped it by now… but not her.

Of all the women in the galaxy…

"We are forced against our will by some awful force that, for whatever reason, thinks we are a good team or did so just for kicks. Team? No, I wouldn't use that word. No word, describes this. I can't ask you a simple question without you going on the defensive of how I might use it against you. You would think that since we're working together, you would be able to talk to me and trust me a centimeter more than what you do now. I guess I was wrong." She said in a cool voice.

She was never this outspoken, this sarcastic, or this cruel. She actual felt bad the more she voiced what she felt, but she couldn't hold it back. For whatever reason, he was able to make her so angry by the things he would say. Why couldn't he be supportive? She was just overwhelmed by everything and the one person who should be there to help her… was adding fuel to the fire.

He, on the other hand, thought that she was just being a pain. Didn't she respect boundaries? Didn't she know that not everyone was open about their past? Why was she so persistent? Damn.

"Listen, sister… just because we're working together doesn't mean you get to badger me with constant questions!" He slammed his fist on the table but the action hardly fazed her. She knew he wasn't about to get violent. She would have him on the floor in a heartbeat if he did.

"I'm not your sister and you're damn right it does! You do the exact same thing to me, you ungrateful worm… _if there weren't witnesses_…" She muttered that last part to herself. She was just about ready to fling him across the room. She was almost positive that she could take this pilot out in a matter of seconds. All he needed to do was make the first move…

"Blast it if you aren't the most frustrating woman to talk to! Isn't there someone else you can harass for a little while?" He shouted. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaning back in the chair.

She laughed again, frustrated.

"_I'm_ frustrating? Are you serious? Look who's talking, flyboy! I don't _believe _this!" She shouted, rubbing her head and trying to calm herself down.

"What? Me? What did I do?" He asked in a completely oblivious and innocent voice. He was joking, _surely_ he was joking. She stared at him waiting for any indication that he was joking. When it was apparent that he was dead serious, her anger spiked. He thought he was an innocent bystander through all of this?

"Are you kidding? Oh, that is _so_ rich, Carth Onasi. You don't know how frustrating you've been? I have half a mind to sock you one in the face, right now! You're lucky that I don't!" She shouted before taking a calming breath. She looked at him and after contemplating for a few moments more… she put her hands up in defeat.

She gave up.

She wasn't doing this.

It wasn't worth it.

"You know what? Fine. Have it your way. I would hate to _harass_ you anymore so I'll make this easy. I'll leave you alone. Do what you want. I'm done." She pushed herself away from the table and turned to walk away.

He got up that instant and quickly grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving. Where did she think she was going?

"Hey! Where do you—"She shot him a sharp, yet hurt look over her shoulder before turning fully around to glare at him.

"I'm done! Didn't you hear me! I'm done! I'm not doing this anymore! I helped you get Bastila, I helped you get this far. You're a rep—"She started to say republic pilot but realized that wasn't the best thing to shout in a Cantina that probably had more than its fair share of Sith. "You're a pilot. Bastila is an _important_ person that you need to get out of here. You don't need me anymore. I helped you accomplish what you wanted so I guess that means i'm done here."

His grip around her wrist loosened as what she said hit him. It hit him hard. What was she trying to say? That he simply used her to accomplish whatever goals he had? That wasn't it at all. That was far from it. He needed her help, yes, but he would never have _used_ her like that.

"What?" He said confused and bewildered. "What do you mean by that?"

She sighed. Did he really not understand? She roughly pulled her wrist free and looked at him, trying to hide the fact that it hurt more to say it out loud but it was her only option now. Apparently he didn't really get it.

"I'm going. I'm done. I'm finished. How many different ways do I have to say it! You don't need me! What good is a person you can't trust! Huh?" She shouted and earned a couple of uneasy glances. She didn't really care who witnessed their little banter, she just wanted him to understand that she was out of there. She was gone.

Lucky for them, the onlookers just assumed it was a couple fighting which happened quite often on Taris. Especially during the quarantine. The pressure got to a lot of people.

"You can't just go!" She turned to walk away again but he wasn't about to have it.

He grabbed her wrist again and pulled her back so that she was looking at him. When she tried to pull her hand away, Carth held on to her firmly. She averted her eyes trying not to make eye contact. Why couldn't he just let her go? Was it really that hard for him to comprehend?

"Afraid I'll tell people your secrets? About Bastila? Here." With her free hand she reached for her blaster pistol and pulled it out. She handed it to him with the handle in his direction. At first he just stared at it. She held it there until he slowly grabbed it with his own free hand—afraid to release her wrist—more confused than before.

When it was finally in his hands, she looked at him, more resolute than he had ever seen. What was the significance of this? What was the purpose? His eyes drifted back down to the blaster in his hands. Why hand him the blaster?

"If you really don't trust me _that_ much, if you don't trust me to keep your secrets and identities safe... then shoot me. Right now. Save yourself the trouble and rid yourself of the _loose ends._"

When she said that, his eyes shot up to look at her and he was frozen. She wanted him to kill her? What the hell was she thinking! That wasn't what he wanted at all! No, nothing like that! He dropped the blaster like it had burned his hand.

"No! That's not what I want at all! I… I do trust you, it's just… hard. I don't trust anyone and… look, its hard ok? I'm trying but it's a slow process…" She looked away, wishing that he had just shot her and ended it there. Of course that was the easy way out… she never got the easy way out.

Damn you, universe.

"Then what do you want… I just don't understand what you want me to do anymore…" When she tugged at her hand again, his grip tightened. He wasn't letting her go anywhere.

"Well, for one thing I don't want you to go anywhere! What I said—I didn't mean it that way. So don't go." When she tugged again, he kept his firm grip on her and a determined look in his eyes. He really wanted her to stop tugging. "I said don't go damn it!" He shouted again and she flinched.

His grip around her wrists was firm. He wasn't letting go.

"Ok, ok, I heard you the first time!" She shouted back before looking away meekly, her cheeks turning red. The kind of red that made you want to just smile in response. When she spoke again, she spoke quietly, her voice so small. "But you're cutting off the circulation in my hands…"

He waited a second before hesitantly dropping her hands, ready to grab her again if she tried to make a run for it. When she didn't move, he began ushering her back to the table. They sat down awkwardly and they were quiet for several moments. Samirah was rubbing her hands, her cheeks blushing immensely. To her… It had looked like he was holding her hand and that made her feel embarrassed.

He looked at her before taking a deep breath. The only way out of this pinch… was to tell her _something._ Something that gave her a better look inside. If this helped her understand him better, than he would suck it up and just tell her.

"When I think of all the men…" He began, catching Samirah's ear and attention. "…who have betrayed me—us, the Republic—the one that stands out above them all is the one I respected the most. Saul."

He was sharing with her. He was opening up a little bit. Even if it was just a little bit, he was still opening up. He was telling her more about himself. She went back through her head, trying to remember who that person was. She couldn't put a face with the name but it did ring some bells.

"That name… sounds oddly familiar. I should know that name…" She finally said catching that shocked look Carth gave her. Did she really not know?

"With good reason! Admiral Saul Karath is the commander of the entire Sith fleet. He's half the reason Malak has done so well in the war. How do you not know him?" She shrugged, swirling around the glass of Tarisian ale Canderous had poured her earlier. She really didn't want any alcohol but it gave her something to focus on.

"Keep in mind, Carth, I've always been on the outskirts of the galaxy. The rims of it. I've never been in real contact with the events that have occurred. I only knew what they told me—The war with Malak was raging, he was powerful and we were so close to being powerless to stop him. I hardly knew much more than that… and my mission."

Carth hadn't thought of that. He kept forgetting that she was so disconnected from the world that she didn't know most things, events or even people. She was more out of the loop than she thought.

"Saul was my commanding officer back when the Mandalorian wars first began. He taught me everything about being a soldier… and I looked up to him. I admired everything about him. His tactics, his attitude, his seemingly infinite faith in the Republic…"Carth smiled to himself, but it was a sad smile.

"He approached me before he left. He talked to me about how the Republic was on the losing side… and about how I should start thinking of my survival." Carth remembered the conversation vividly in his mind. The last conversation he and his mentor had ever had.

"_Carth, you must understand. The Republic is on the losing side of this war." His hands were clasped behind his back as he approached the window, peering out into the empty space. _

_Carth was seated on his cot, trying to grasp the words that Saul was saying. They had been talking for several moments now and it just seemed pointless. Saul had caught him before he was going to bed and began talking strangely. Carth had never experienced Saul like this. He was passionate about his views but it was like… he had changed._

"_We can win this war, Saul. I know we can, you just have to keep faith." He said. _

_Saul shook his head, turning back to look at Carth. The young man he had taught so much and brought under his wing. Why couldn't he see through it all? The Republic wasn't going to win. There was no one strong enough to tip the Balance. No one to pull the Republic out, victorious._

"_Carth, faith alone cannot win this war. If you stay with the Republic… well, I can tell you the result will be grim. It's best if you start thinking about your survival. Your life in the Republic will become short and I don't want that for you." He said, still pacing the room. Carth wasn't following._

"_What am I supposed to do? The Republic _is_ my life. I'm a pilot and that's what I'll always be. What will I do if I don't have the Republic? There is nothing for me but the military. No, I won't just give up, Saul. I can't." Saul shook his head._

"_No Carth, I don't expect you to leave the military exactly. I expect you to choose a side." Carth shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. What did he mean by that? There was nothing to choose._

"_Choose a side? I have Saul, I'm not giving up on the Republic. I won't! We can pull through this, I know we can!" _

"_Carth, the Republic is dying! No one will live through this. There will be nothing left but dying hopes and dreams! Dirt under the feet of Sith as they trample over us! There will be nothing left! Even you have to see this! Don't you understand, you fool!" Carth jumped up and shook his head repeatedly. What was Saul trying to say? He wasn't following at all. None of this made sense._

"_No, Saul. The Republic isn't dying, it won't die! I won't allow that! If you want to save yourself then go. It's a choice you'll have to make and live with. I won't abandon the Republic. I can't. I refuse to give up now! Not when they need me the most! Not when we're so close!" Saul gripped his shoulders, trying to make him understand but he wasn't seeing what Saul wanted him to see._

_Both soldiers were stubborn._

"_Carth! There isn't anything left! You willful man! Why can't you see that? Why can't you see the inevitable! The Republic will be dead soon, I can feel it! Save yourself and maybe—"_

"_How can I save myself? My duty is to protect people and their lives, so what does it mean if I'm only looking out for my skin? If I run before I can save anyone? That is not why I joined! I will defend the Republic with my last breath! I'll find a way!"_

"_Carth, see reason…" Saul said sternly, shaking his head. He wanted Carth to realize this, desperately. There was no hope. Hope was a fleeting thing for them. It wasn't going to last. It hadn't lasted._

"_I do, Saul. I want to be with the Republic. I want to help make the Republic something worth fighting for. I don't understand what's wrong with you!" He shouted at his mentor, his commanding officer, and his friend. Saul shook his head backing away towards the door._

_He was beginning to see that it was useless. Carth was too stubborn. Too attached to the very thing that was doomed to fail. _He_ was doomed to fail. He tried to save the boy but apparently it was futile to try. A lost cause. Just as lost as the Republic now was. There was no surviving any of it. Not with everything that was about to follow._

"_No Carth. The only thing worth fighting for is yourself. Save yourself while you still can, Carth. The Republic is ending. Don't let it become your end as well." He said with finality before turning to face the door and leaving._

_As the door clicked, Carth sat back down against the cot, trying to piece together what Saul was saying but none of it made sense. Choose a side? He had chosen the Republic. What other choice was there? What was Saul going to do now?_

"Carth?" Carth looked up at Samirah, her concerned brown eyes watching him as he remembered it. Every word said, every emotion displayed and the hidden meaning that he hadn't realized back then.

"I know now that he was trying to recruit me into the Sith, but I couldn't have conceived of it back then. I argued with him and he got angry and he left. I never saw him again." He said in a low voice.

"Carth… so he betrayed the Republic? That's… that's…" She couldn't find the right word. Impossible? Unthinkable? Terrible? She could only assume that Carth was taking it harder than she could imagine. Wouldn't she? The very idea of it was heart wrenching, to say the least.

"You didn't see it coming… The shock of it all…" She finally said. She knew people where turning their backs on the Republic but it was easier to imagine when they were people you didn't know. To know someone—a friend even; a superior officer—would be so much harder to take.

"Saul was my mentor… he led us to so many victories against the Mandalorians, even when things looked to be at their worst. I just… I couldn't conceive of it. He… he couldn't be serious. I was wrong, of course… he not only left us for the Sith, he… gave them the codes to bypass our scanners."

Samirah eyes widened as she stared at him in horror.

"He did _what!" _

Why would he do that? Did he really not care about the Republic anymore? Was it that simple to just change sides? To switch your allegiance so quickly and not have a shred of emotion left for them. Was that all it was, a flip of the switch? It was unthinkable and it was horrendous to try and comprehend such a thing. It shouldn't be that easy. You had to care somehow, didn't you? It shouldn't be that easy to turn on people you _hopefully _cared about.

Carth smiled sadly as he continued.

"I remember waking up as the first of the Sith bombers snuck past our defenses and began destroying half of our docked ships. I knew right away what had happened… I knew right away… that Saul had… _betrayed us…"_ Saying it out loud never got easier. It was still something his mind had trouble processing.

"Carth… I'm so sorry…. I—"

"I… I could have stopped him." He interrupted, still stuck in his memories. Waking up to Sith fire and running around trying to save everyone and avoiding eruptions from every side. Trying to survive. It was ironic even. Saul had told him to think about his survival and moments later, he was fighting for it. "I could have stopped it all."

His hand was shaking on the table and she gingerly placed her hand on top of his, trying to show him that she was there to support him. He didn't look at her, but he smiled, appreciating the small sign of comfort.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for trusting your friend. You didn't know. You _couldn't_ have." She said eagerly but to no avail. His head snapped up and he seemed so angry so suddenly that she was startled.

"I blame Saul, _not_ myself! I was… I was stupid and I ignored the danger. He nearly destroyed us all. I've fought Saul for years, now, and if I ever catch up to him… he will regret what he's done. He will regret it." He said intently. That anger of his fixated and focused on finding Saul. On finding him and doing what he should have years ago.

"Carth… I'm so sorry… that's terrible. I don't know what I would have done…" Carth laughed but this time, it was his turn to lose all humor in it.

"Well… there's more to the story, I guess." He looked up at her, pulling himself from the memories and smiling at her. "But I'd rather not talk about it right now. At least… not yet…" She nodded. She had to give him credit—at least he didn't snap at her all together for it.

She would let it go. For now. But not all together. She was this close to understanding Carth that she wasn't going to let it go, but it seemed painful for him to remember and she didn't want him to look so broken.

"I understand." She smiled and he was grateful. She wasn't going to fight him for more information so he took that as a good sign. Maybe they would be able to cooperate after all.

After several moments of content silence, she remembered that she still had her hand placed above his. He didn't seem to notice, still lost in his own thoughts, but when she realized it she blushed immensely. Was she supposed to yank it away? Stay still? Why had she put her hand there to begin with?

She didn't want to draw his attention to it but at the same time…

"Excuse me?" She jumped at the sudden new voice and in the process, yanked her hand away instinctively. Carth was startled out of his memories, not realizing her hand was on his until it was gone. She looked up to see a man standing beside her, holding her blaster in his hand.

His hair was a sandy color and from what he was wearing, he must have been about middle class here on Taris. Her looked to be about her age, maybe older.

"My blaster? How did you—"Then she remembered. She had given it to Carth… so that he could end his worries and trust issues. She blushed a bit more, a little embarrassed, hoping the man hadn't witnessed that. "Thank you, I appreciate it. I had forgotten all about it."

She gingerly took it from him and tucked it away. When she looked back at him, he remained by her side, fidgeting. He seemed to be struggling for words.

"Yes?" She prompted, smiling at his discomfort. Maybe if she seemed friendlier than she had to Carth, it would make it easier for him to talk. It wasn't hard to be friendlier to other people. She was just quick to anger around Carth…

How interesting.

"Forgive me for troubling you… but… aren't you the _Mysterious Stranger?"_ She suddenly wished he _was_ having trouble speaking. Her smile vanished and her mouth fell open. She had almost forgotten about that.

"Y-Yes, I am…" Carth looked over at her, raising his eyebrow. So what those people said back when she was racing were telling the truth. But who was this character she had created? The man smiled excitedly before pushing a datapad at her eagerly.

"Would you care to give me a holoprint? I'm a big fan!" She smiled, laughing softly as she proceeded to leave her mark. "Especially after this match with Bendak! I can't believe you're actually going to go through with it! And, in the event you die, this holoprint will be worth a lot. The same for if you win!"

She faltered when he mentioned the possibility of her losing. So, no one knew what to expect. Win or lose, they were happy they got to see Starkiller in action. Carth watched as she handed the datapad back before he spoke up.

"Bendak?" Samirah shot him a startled look. She wasn't ready for him to find out. She still wanted him to miss the match. Damn it, where did Bastila go? She was just here moments ago. Before she could stop him, the man turned to Carth, excitedly.

"Oh yes, it's the most talked about match of all time! This little lady here is going to go in a death match with Bendak Starkiller. He's infamous for never losing a battle. He went into retirement when death matches were outlawed and made illegal. But this girl, she was talented enough to get his attention and pull him from retirement." He smiled excitedly.

He grabbed her hand and shook it, holding a few seconds longer than Carth would have liked.

"It was an honor to meet you ma'am. I'll be there to see the fight… it should be starting soon… right?" He asked, unsure. She nodded, tugging at her hand gently and only after a few seconds more did he let her go. "Good. I wish you luck!" He turned, content, as he headed towards the dueling ring.

She watched him leave as dread filled her. He ruined her plan to get Carth out of the Cantina before the match.

She dropped her head into her hands, rubbing her face. Carth looked at her, not really wanting to know what connection she had to all of this but knowing he needed to. He watched as she stared at her still full glass of ale as her mind drifted elsewhere.

He was really hoping that man was wrong.

"Samirah, I know I'm going to regret asking… but what did he mean by _Death Match?"_ He was hoping the phrase wasn't self explanatory.

She looked up at him slowly, knowing that it was too late to try and hide it from him now. What would he say? What would he do? She knew he wasn't about to approve of it but what choice did she have? Bendak saw her in the ring and said that he would come out of retirement to fight her. Before she could argue the point, he was off to set up the match.

Apparently he assumed that no one would decline or that he wouldn't give them the option.

"Well… it's exactly that. A match… to the death." When she didn't say anything more, Carth shook his head.

"No. No. No! You can't just go off and duel to the death, Samirah. No, I can't let you do that." This was just needless danger and a risk they didn't need to take. What was she thinking?

She was thinking that he had lost his mind if he thought he could tell her what to do.

"Carth, I'm old enough to take care of myself, thank you. I can't just ignore the duel. Besides, it's more credits that I'm sure we—you'll need." She corrected herself. She had started to include herself but remembered that after this… she was out of there. Once they were off Taris, she was transferring out and letting Bastila take care of Carth and saving the galaxy from impending doom.

That type of thing.

"Come on, I'm on a time constraint." She spoke quickly, hoping that Carth didn't think too much into that last part.

Before Carth could ask what she meant, she was already up and heading towards the dueling arena. He cursed himself as he jumped out of the seat and chased after her. He wanted to ask about the match, change her mind and hopefully keep her alive a little longer. He also wasn't sure what she meant when she said _credits you'll need._ He was hoping that he was wrong in his assumptions.

The assumption that she wasn't sticking around.

She was moving so quickly that he wasn't able to get a word in before she was standing before the Hutt. He grimaced as they conversed and he looked away. He needed more details from her but she was being adamant about keeping him out of the loop. That was something he was never too happy about.

He hated loops and their very existence. They usually occurred with him on the outside, trying to find a way in.

She talked quickly with the Hutt and he smiled happily as he informed her that the duel was set up and ready when she was. She took a calming breath before nodding and getting the details of the match from him.

Carth didn't like any of it. He had half a mind to drag her out of the Cantina but knew he wouldn't get very far before she knocked his lights out. She wasn't one to go away quietly so she would fight him the whole way out. He wondered mildly how far he could get though… could he knock her out? Would he be willing to deal with the consequences _when_ she woke up?

He decided… it probably wasn't worth it.

Samirah listened patiently to the Hutt as he spoke animatedly about the death match and voiced his approval of it all. He seemed more excited about the income the match was bringing in than anything else. He rubbed his greedy hands together as his lips pulled into a sadistic smile.

She hated dealing with Hutts.

"**Alright, you ready to step into the ring?"** She nodded and the Hutt grinned. "**Good. Excellent. High wagering means lots of credits for the winner on this match. Come see me after the fight to collect your credits—if you're still alive."** He started to laugh and she ignored his greedy manner. When she turned around, she was met with Carth's disapproving look and she sighed.

"I know, I know." He shook his head.

"No, you don't know. That's the problem. This is dangerous." She smirked. No, she did know.

"About as dangerous as anything else we've done or are about to do." She said cryptically. She knew the risks. They were the same as finding Bastila, as stealing back the accelerator and as risky as it was to enter the Sith base and steal the launch codes.

"It's not the same, Samirah! This is a needless risk, there's no point to it!" He shouted a little louder than he would have liked but he couldn't help it. She was being careless! So, yeah, of course he was going to shout a little bit. He was starting to seriously think about dragging her out of there. The door wasn't that far…

How much did she weigh? If he played it right, they might think she was just so drunk that she passed out. There was an empty bottle of Tarisian ale back at the table…

"Carth, l know what I'm doing. I can't help any of it, ok? I know you say I should just turn away now and let whatever happens happen, but that's not exactly how I work." She said flatly. "I'm supposed to duel this guy… and that's what I'm going to do. You can't talk me out of this."

He opened his mouth and closed it, not sure what to say in response. She finally sighed not wanting to drag this conversation out any longer. She had to get inside the ring and she needed to do it fairly quickly. She didn't want to argue with Carth until she forfeited…

And she really hoped that wasn't what he was trying to do. That would be a stupid move on his part.

"You know, things would be much easier if you could be a normal person and say _Good luck and don't die." _She said in a voice, mocking his and making him grimace._ "_Any words of encouragement would do." She shook her head as she walked past him towards the corridor leading towards the ring. She wasn't waiting any longer.

She was willing to bet that Bendak was already inside the ring, probably relishing at the idea of having another _victim. _She wasn't about to be a _victim, _though. As she moved past the onlookers and headed down the hallway only duelist were allowed in, Carth's voice stopped her momentarily.

"Samirah…" She glanced back to see him standing in the doorway, at the farthest point he was allowed to go. "Good luck… and don't die." He smirked, but it was an uneasy smirk. She couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips as she nodded.

"Thanks flyboy, I'll be safe. _Scout's honor._" She said with a bemused smile before she turned away and pushed open the door leading to the ring.

The ring was this cylinder room with rows of people, anxiously awaiting the illegal battle. Their faces were all peering into the ring. People were murmuring and some shouted out, trying to relieve their pent up excitement. Some watched her as she entered, yelling and shouting how she would die horribly by Bendak's hand.

So, their credits were on Bendak.

Bendak was standing on the far end of the arena, twirling his blasters between his fingers and even with the helmet on… she knew he was wearing a smug expression. The crowd exploded into applause, not really caring who lived or died… as long as they got a good match out of it all.

They were only there for the thrill of it all and the credits.

She and Bendak simply stared at one another as time ticked by as they waited for the match to officially start. She took a calming breath, having faith that she would make it through this quickly. Carth was right to some degree… it was dangerous, but it was something she could handle. If she avoided dangerous things she would never have gotten as far as she had. She wouldn't have been here, she wouldn't have done so well as a scout and many people would be in danger themselves.

The speaker turned on as the charismatic announcer spoke to entice the crowd to the event they had all come to watch. It was the best thing they had going for them since the Sith quarantined the planet. This was their outlet. Their entertainment. Their distraction.

"**Ladies and gentlemen, come with me now on a journey to the savage days of years gone by… to a time when two combatants entered the arena… and only one came out alive…"**

The match was finally starting.

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**Just a small cliff hanger, right? **

**Hopefully this was a good chapter and something that you enjoyed. I'm always open to reviews, criticism, or simple _hello's_. Let me know what you guys think and i'll be sure to update as soon as possible. Thanks for sticking with me and reading. I appreciate all of your support on this story. **

**May the force be with you all.**

**-SilverShards-**


	11. Chapter 10: Frustrated and Tired Souls

**Disclaimer: Nope. I still don't own KOTOR. Its a work in Progress still.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I also hope that it's to your liking! Thanks for continuing to support me. You guys are fabulous!**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Frustrated and Tired Souls**

_"Run your fingers through my soul._

_ For once, just once, feel exactly what I feel, believe what I believe, perceive as I perceive, look, experience, examine and for once; just once, understand."_

Carth watched on a monitor as the crowd went wild as the announcer spoke. He was fidgety and felt as helpless as he had when she was in the swoop race. What was she going to do this time? Drop a grenade at her own feet? Throw one at Bendak only to have it bounce back? With her luck, Bendak would hardly have to move before she killed them both.

She was a good fighter, but she was also a magnet for danger. If there was a way to test fate… she would find it. He knew he was being cynical but he couldn't help the train of thought he had whenever she was diving, head first, into danger. He made a mental note to child proof everything if they ever got the flagship Canderous was promising.

Though, she did promise to be safe. She even said _Scout's honor_ which brought a smile to his face. She was something else—that was a fact. Even if it was to just humor him, it did make him feel a little bit better, but definitely not guarantees.

He was so focused on the monitor that he hadn't noticed Bastila approach with the droid behind her. A frown was set in place as she tapped on his shoulder lightly. He spun around, his blaster ripped from his holster and aimed directly at Bastila.

For a moment, neither one said anything.

"Well that's a fine greeting." She placed her hands on her hips and shot him a sharp look. "A blaster wouldn't do you much good if I was able to approach you so easily—you would never have gotten the chance to fire it." He let out a shaky breath before slowly holstering his weapon. Of all the people…

"Sorry, Bastila, I was—"She didn't let him finish before she asked the next thing on her mind.

"Where is Samirah?" When Carth hesitated to answer, she raised an eyebrow before she looked past him at the console he had had his eyes glued too. When she saw Samirah standing in the middle of a ring, her eyes went wide. "What in the blazes is she doing there?"

"A death match…"Carth said bitterly. They both turned to the monitor as Bastila fumed.

He knew that she probably disagreed with the match about as much as he did, but it was too late for either one of them to do anything. Like he had been telling himself over and over again—this girl had an uncanny knack to find trouble in possibly every corner of the galaxy. It was a wonder that she was even alive today.

"Why would you let her go and do such a stupid thing?" Carth looked at her in alarm. She was blaming him? Of all the people that could be blamed—Samirah, the Hutt, Bendak, Bastila herself (though he knew she had too much pride to admit it)—she laid the blame on him!

"I didn't let her! She didn't give me a choice!" Bastila rolled her eyes as the announcer finished his pre-match introduction and the crowd went wild with cheers.

"So you let a 5ft girl walk all over you… _typical…"_ He had started to retort something but she hushed him as she focused on the monitor, ignoring the small, confused droid behind her. Carth simply bit back his tongue and returned his attention to the monitor. He hoped that this match was worth the sharp looks he continued to receive from one overly bearing Jedi.

The moment it all started, Samirah immediately charged forward as Bendak let loose a grenade. She leapt away from it, in hopes to avoid it and was nearly caught in the blast. She turned her eyes back to Bendak as he un-holstered his weapon and fired. She realized that he was taking the offensive and she was immediately stuck on the defensive. She blocked and dodged to the best of her ability as she tried to get closer but to no avail.

He was being adamant about keeping her at a distance—at least for now.

She ducked and rolled to the right side, yanking out her blaster and firing as he dodged, firing back. She needed to get closer to him but with his blaster, he was making it difficult. He started laughing, like he could see that this match was going to end with him as the victor.

She couldn't exactly let that happen.

She took that as her chance to sling a grenade at him and the moment he moved to dodge the blast, she rushed at him again: blaster in hand. She fired her weapon, nicking him in the shoulder as he fired back grazing her leg. She faltered for a moment and Bendak took that as his chance. He holstered the blaster as he whipped out his vibroblade and charged her directly. She quickly yanked out her blade as she holstered the blaster before he was in her face with his blade. They locked weapons and for a moment, it seemed like he had the upper hand.

She swung her blade clockwise, letting the steel slide along his own weapon creating sparks before they disengaged. The moment they broke free, they locked weapons again, clashing left and right, parrying and staggering from impact. Samirah figured that at the rate they were going, they were going to wear each other out before anything else.

As they locked weapons for the fifth time, Bendak laughed once more as he dropped a grenade at his feet. Was he suicidal? At that proximity there was no escaping and it would take them both out. Yet, if she broke free first, he would have a clean shot at her and vice versa. It didn't matter though, neither one would be able to get free of the blast. Samirah tried to brace herself for the impact, locking her arms so she wouldn't falter against his weight against her blade.

Only there was no explosion.

The grenade began to leak out a haze. Smoke. It was a smoke grenade. Within seconds they were covered in a murky, grayish cloud, blinding them and the crowd with a screen made purely of a miasma. People began to murmur and were confused. Some people shouted angrily because they couldn't see what was happening or who was wining.

Samirah felt the weight against her blade back off and she did they same. She looked all around her, looking for him. Where did he go? Was he still in front of her? Behind her?

A shot came from her left, grazing across her arm and she gasped. Another shot came from her right but she was able to avoid it this time. She could hear his laughter as he circled around, concealed by the poisonous smog he had unleashed.

"Not how you expected this to go down, is it?" He said, his voice echoing across the arena.

Samirah held her ground, trying to focus. He had a way to see her… she was at a disadvantage. A really big one. She backed up slightly, holding her blade in front of her. She was pretty sure his helmet allowed him to not only see her through the smog, but purify the air before it entered his suit. A smart plan. Genius, almost. If she could somehow puncture his suit, she'd pollute the insides with the gas and he'd be just as affected as she was.

"Bendak…"She said quietly as a shot flew past her. She unconsciously moved her blade to deflect the shot which surprised her. That was an extremely lucky move on her part.

She ducked as she tried to remain focus and stumble on his exact location. If she could control how much air she breathed, she would fair off better with the toxic gas. She moved slightly, ignoring the murmurs and angry shouts from the crowd. She couldn't help but smile at the distressed patrons. Served them right as far as she was concerned.

They were upset because they were being cheated of a match. They didn't get to see Bendak and her battling it out to the death. That somehow brought her satisfaction.

She slowly moved and in an instant, ducked and rolled to her left as a vibroblade crashed down against the hard floor. Again, another lucky move on her part. The sound of the blade grating against the floor echoed and she immediately swung her blade down over him as he brought the sword up to block. Their game of parrying began again only this time, she couldn't see him and she could feel her strength evaporating with each strike.

She was at a huge disadvantage and she needed to end this quickly or she wouldn't be the one walking out alive.

Carth panicked the moment he saw the smoke spewing from the grenade. He grasped the monitor, holding his breath back, petrified to do anything. Where was she? Was she alright? Bastila frowned at him and pulled him away with effort.

"What's happening?" He shouted. Bastila simply shook her head, noting how distressed he was.

"Carth, calm down. She'll be able to handle this. Trust me." She spoke so calmly that it actually irritated him. How was it she was so calm? Why wasn't she going crazy from not knowing?

"How can you be so sure, Bastila? This girl—This girl is the first one to find danger! It's like she has this hidden agenda to test fate! If I didn't know better, I'd think she had suicidal tendencies!" Bastila simply smirked.

"The force is with her, Carth. Have faith in the force." She said quietly and somehow… Carth was slightly relieved. Slightly. It did nothing to alleviate the tension as he stared at the unknown.

They heard the clash and clinking of metal, an occasional blaster shot and a few sounds indicating that a few shots hit home—but who they hit was still undecided. The crowd became restless and was shouting for ventilation to clear the arena so they could see what was happening. It obviously wasn't going to happen since it was part of the duel. By removing the smog… the outcome could change.

_"Hey! I paid good money for this!"_

_"This is a rip-off!" _

_"Where's the blood! Where's the carnage! Where's the fight!"_

Carth couldn't believe what he was hearing. These people were unbelievable. All they cared about was the match. The very idea only irritated Carth more and Bastila could sense it. She just rolled her eyes and turned back to the monitor. This man was a wreck of emotions. She was fairly certain he didn't know how to alleviate stress before it bubbled out of him like the force in an untrained neophyte.

A few blasters shots went off before a blaster rifle flew from the smoke and skidded across the floor. The room went quiet as the two combatants went silent as well. Everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the victor to walk out. The room grew eerily still as their eyes were transfixed on the arena, waiting.

They didn't expect the blast that erupted in the middle of the ring.

The explosion surprised everyone as the smoke was sent out in waves, rippling through the arena floor. A figure was seen flying through the air and when they hit the floor, the rolled across the floor before skidding to a halt. The smoke concealed who the individual was and everyone waited to find out who survived and who died. The person hesitantly got up and Carth was relieved to see that it was Samirah. Not completely unscathed but she was pretty close.

She staggered and after several moments, caught her balance as she looked up to where the smoke had yet to clear. From the looks of it, she wasn't sure what to expect either.

The smoke finally began to clear up and Bendak was on the other end of the arena, holding his side and staggering. A couple of punctures were seen at the neckline and on his abdomen where he clutched it. The odd part about it all was even though he was in bad shape… he was laughing. He was actually laughing.

Samirah stumbled in his direction, trying to catch her bearings. She stopped a few feet from him and looked up at him, her vibroblade still in tow. She didn't care about the gas, she wasn't going to let go of her strength. She could tell Bendak was losing a lot of blood and that he wasn't faring too well. So, if his odds weren't too good… why was he laughing?

He looked up at her, coughing through his choked laughs.

"Bendak… we can get you medical attention… we don't have fight to the death." She pleaded. This was needless. He continued to laugh, shaking his head.

"You don't get it… do you?" She knitted her eyebrows, not catching his meaning. "I don't want your sympathy… I was always… in it for the…_ecstasy."_ He said the word with... _pleasure._ _Invigoration._

Something unnatural. Something that sent chills down her spine to think about. How could one receive so much pleasure from all of this?

"Dueling… to the death… that feeling… of your enemy… dying before you… pure fear in their…" He coughed and his breathing was ragged but he didn't seem the least bit concerned. "In their _eyes…_ They have… no escape… only escape through… death…" He said maniacally making Samirah flinch.

"Bendak, it doesn't have to end like this. I don't want to kill you… I refuse too…"She stated forcefully. He found it amusing. He simply started laughing again, though it was hard since it was a mixture of laughter and coughing. Almost a gurgling sound.

"So… you plan on just letting me live? Live with the shame… of losing? To a girl no less?"He laughed so hard that she flinched. Was he serious? Was it really worth all of this? "No, that's just not my style… kid…" He pulled out a thermal detonator and held it firmly in his hand. Her eyes went wide with sickening anticipation as his finger pressed the button… and released.

The explosion sent her flying backwards and her back crashed against the hard, stone floor. She rolled a few times before she slid across the floor, hitting the wall and then she just laid there. How many times was she going to be sent flying through the air? At first, she didn't move. She didn't blink. She was simply frozen with perplexity.

She merely stared at the spot where his now lifeless body laid.

He killed himself? Killed himself so that he didn't have to live with his loss? Why? Was it really that important to him? She just couldn't comprehend any of it. Her ears were ringing and it took her a moment before she could hear the mumbling and quiet chatter of the crowd. They weren't sure what to think either.

Samirah couldn't find the strength to move, even lying still she felt soar and the aches on her body. She figured it was best to wait until the room stopped spinning before getting up. She closed her eyes but tried hard not to fall back into that void. She didn't have time to dig her way out of a grave if they really thought she was dead. She was just so exhausted. She wasn't there to please the crowd so she let them think what they wanted too. At this point, she didn't care. She just wanted to move on… after she got oriented again, of course.

And the onlookers believed she was dead.

To them, it looked like they both had died.

And that's what Carth thought. He stared in terror at the screen as Samirah lay motionless and the smoke around Bendak cleared, revealing his motionless form as well. His back was pressed against the wall and the red liquid that painted the wall behind him was so chilling that many of the audience members turned their eyes.

Bastila tried to remain calm, waiting for Samirah to get up but when she didn't, she feared the worst as well. The force was with her, it wouldn't let this happen. It couldn't. Too much was at stake, too much was depending on her.

"No…" She said silently. Carth was in too much shock to form any words. He knew it was risky, he knew it was dangerous—so why did he let her do it!

The credits weren't worth it! Nothing was worth it! Why did she do it? Why didn't he stop her? He slowly shook his head, not wanting his mind to process it. He clenched his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white. His eyes never left her as he stared blankly at the screen.

Why didn't he do something? Why did she have to be so stubborn…? He could as all the _what if's, _but it didn't change the fact that she went to fight and he didn't stop her.

He finally turned away, looking anywhere but at her. He didn't want to face it. She couldn't be dead. There was no way that she was. How could she? She was the luckiest girl he had ever known! She could do just about anything and luck would be on her side. Bastila would tell him it was the force acting through her, not just luck. Either way—she came through. She lived. She succeeded. She moved on.

But not this time.

He placed his head in his hands, not sure what to do. Not sure what to think.

Samirah was dead. She lost. And for what purpose? What was he going to do now?

"Carth!" Bastila shouted at him but he shook his head. "Carth, look!"

"I… I don't want too…" He said quietly, his voice feeling hoarse. She sighed in frustration and groaned loudly before Carth felt this force pull him towards her, back to the monitor. "What the hell do you—"He had started to shout before she looked at him sharply.

"Shut up and look, Carth Onasi. My word, if you aren't difficult…" She said in frustration. He glared at her before dragging his gaze to the monitor, prepared to see her body being taken away.

Instead, he saw her standing up. She wobbled and nearly fell over, but she got up. She struggled to stand and after more than a few tries, she was finally able to. After several moments of pure silence, the crowd erupted into cheers and the announcer cheered with them.

"**I don't believe this, ladies and gentlemen! Bendak is down! It's over! It's over! The fight is over! Bendak Starkiller is down! Bendak Starkiller is dead! And when you thought she was down and out, she gets back up and stands before us! She's the toughest duelist we've ever had the pleasure to witness in a duel! Ha-ha and you were lucky enough to witness such a display of talent!"** He laughed his strange cackle before continuing excitedly.

"**All hail the Mysterious Stranger, the greatest duelist to ever grace the rings of Taris!"** And as he shouted it, so did everyone in the ring.

Samirah smiled meekly as she staggered from the dueling ring, clutching her vibroblade. She walked up the ramp leading back to the viewing room, using the railing for support and when she opened the door, she was met with loud cheers coming from the observers. The ones who had to settle with watching on the monitors. Bastila rushed up to her and helped support her as they found her a seat.

"My word, are you alright?"She asked, making Samirah laugh. The small action made her wince in response, but she was still smiling.

"For the most part? Yeah… I'm fine… my balance is a little off but it'll come back… I just need some air…" She breathed out a little uneasily but she was fine. A few more wounds, a few cuts and scuffs but she was fine.

Bastila checked her wounds and grimaced. They looked painful, but it wasn't life threatening. She would definitely have a couple of bruises, that was for sure but other than that, everything else was treatable. Bastila held her hands over the wounds, about to use the healing properties of the force when Samirah stopped her.

"Really, it's not that bad." She smiled at Bastila who really didn't care.

"You think I'm going to leave your wounds as they are? You are poorly mistaken." She said with finality before continuing to mend her wounds. Samirah laughed softly, but at a price. She winced and gasped mid-laughter. She could feel every bruise on her body and it wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing she had dealt with but it sure was the most annoying.

Ok, so maybe having Bastila heal her wasn't so bad. Bastila did so very inconspicuously, holding her hands close to the wounds so that it looked like she was merely checking them. They didn't want to draw attention to herForce wielding abilities.

She tried to remain still as Bastila worked, looking away and giving her room to work. Only after a few minutes did she realize something was missing. The one thing that always occurred when she had been reckless and taken unnecessary risks involving dangerous situations and possibly life threatening events—the one voice of disapproval.

She glanced around the room until she caught sight of him. Carth Onasi.

He stared at her, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly hanging open. She was alive. For a few moments, she had been dead to him. He was sure that she wasn't going to get up. He was sure that she was gone for good. That this was her final act of crazy adventuring. He never thought he would be staring at those chocolate brown eyes or see that confused expression she was wearing when he did something she didn't understand.

Which was quite a lot.

She wasn't sure why he was staring, but she felt a little embarrassed under his gaze. Why was he staring? Did she look that bad? She reached up and tentatively brushed her bangs, watching as dirt fell from the strands of hair.

Wow. She must look like a mess. Her cheeks turned bright red and Bastila noticed her sudden silence and tense posture. Was something hurting her?

"Are you sure you're alright?" Samirah nodded slowly, avoiding any eye contact with anyone. Bastila wasn't buying it. "If something is wrong…" Samirah looked at her, unsure if Bastila was someone she could really talk to.

Maybe she knew. Couldn't hurt at this point.

"Why… is he staring at me?" She whispered, nodding in Carth's direction. "Usually he chastises me for being so reckless but this time… he has nothing to say…"Bastila looked over at Carth and when he realized both women were staring at him, he closed his mouth and averted his eyes as well.

Bastila grimaced before looking back to the small girl before her. These two were definitely an odd pair.

"He was worried. When you didn't move, everyone feared the worse." Samirah shook her head.

"I just needed a few moments… I wasn't dead or anything… I just had trouble figuring out how to… work my body again." Bastila smirked. Forgot how to move her body? This girl never ceased to amaze her.

"Don't worry about him… he's just being, well, Carth." Samirah smirked. Bastila had her moments and this was definitely one of them.

When Bastila was sure that she was taken care of, she backed away, allowing Samirah space so she could stand. When she was sure she was ok, Samirah thanked her and made her way to the Hutt so she could collect her… reward. She didn't feel right collecting it but Bastila assured her that the credits would be useful and that, technically, they were hers now.

As she spoke to the Hutt, Bastila moved beside Carth who continued to watch Samirah. The droid, never failing to follow her every footstep.

"_Carth!"_ She hissed into his ear, startling him. He jumped, turning his head so that he was now looking at her instead of Samirah. "What the devil has gotten into you? She's alive. You have her spooked with your suddenly quiet demeanor and quite frankly… me too." She stated.

He crossed his arms, looking down to the floor.

"What am I supposed to do? She almost died. It could have been her instead of Bendak. Bendak could be the one accepting that reward right now." She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"She _almost _died. But she didn't. It _could _have been Bendak who walked away victorious. But it wasn't. We have to have just a _little _more faith in her. Carth, I told you that the force is working through her. It's not about to leave her now."Even thought she said it, she did doubt it when she too feared that Samirah wasn't returning to them.

Carth couldn't believe her. Was she serious? Did she seriously think that?

"How are you so confident?" He asked her directly and she straightened up, careful about her next words.

"I can feel it. The force… is working strongly through her. Just trust in what I say."She said. He wasn't so sure, but he knew he had no other choice but to believe the Jedi. "And as to what you should do? You could congratulate her on a job well done." She stated before walking up to join Samirah with the droid following her, making small sounds in the process.

Carth watched from afar, replaying what Bastila had said. He was being an idiot. She was right. She could have died, but she didn't. Right now, it was good enough to know that she was alive and ok… for the most part.

Samirah thanked the Hutt as he handed over the credits along with Bendak's blaster. A trophy he had called it but she didn't want to think of it like that. She stared at the blaster and grimaced thinking back to Bendak.

The idiot died for the glory of the battle. He was no different than a Mandalorian with their thirst for blood. He wanted a glorified death in battle, to die by the hands of his opponent. Unfortunately, he was stuck with a conscious bearing Scout who's idea of death was to die peacefully in her sleep by natural causes she hoped.

As soon as she was done talking to the Hutt, she turned to Bastila, examining the little droid that she had in tow. His metal was slightly dirty but it was something that they could fix. He made a couple of odd beeps and boops, rolling slightly forward and slightly backward. So this is where Bastila had gone… She must have gone when Carth refused to.

"So, this is our new little friend?" Bastila nodded before grimacing as the Droid rolled closer to her.

"Yes, his name is T3-M4. This is the droid Davik was having built… The Mandalorian you spoke with _forgot_ to mention the hefty fee he had _yet _to pay." She said, frowning.

Samirah winced not really wanting to know what kind of fee Bastila had to pay. So, it was a good thing that she had collected the credits from the Hutt. It seemed like everything was falling into place. She looked back at the Droid who seemed to be attached to Bastila. It stayed as close as it dared to her, making audible beeps and boops as it tried to converse with her. She only glanced at him with another grimace.

"No, I've already told you. I'm not your master. She is." She pointed at Samirah and when the little droid looked at her it made angry sounds and was quiet possibly yelling at her. He rolled towards her, bashing into her shin.

"Ow!" She yelled in surprise, hoping on one leg as she backed away. The little droid went after her again but this time, Samirah held her foot out and pressed it to its mechanical head: keeping him at a distance. "Hey, hey, hey! I didn't do anything… yet!"

"That is enough!" Bastila said sternly, pulling the droid away. He began making adoring sounds again and it only irritated Bastila that much more. "I'm sorry, I don't know what I've done but this droid seems to have… this _fascination _with me. I've tried explaining that I was merely there to retrieve it and nothing more. It won't see reason."

Samirah started laughing at the love-hate relationship developing between the two. She was sure that the last thing Bastila wanted was a small droid attaching itself to her.

"It's fine." She knelt down so that she was at eye level with the little droid and it only glowered at her. "Hello, T3-M4. My name is Samirah Alda, a friend of Bastila's. I need your help, if you would." It made some audible sounds and Bastila rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, the only reason I pulled you from that shop was to help her. And if you help her, you're helping me." She stated, not happy that she had to say it out loud. The idea of it was one thing but having to admit that she needed Samirah was another.

The droid pondered for a moment before sighing and chiming in to Samirah, reluctantly. She smiled excitedly, happy to see that the droid was willing to help.

"Good! Once you help us, you can tag along and follow Bastila all you want." She said with a smirk. Bastila stared at her in horror as the small droid beeped excitedly. It was an added measure to make sure the little droid didn't bail on her, last minute.

Plus it might earn her points with the small droid as well.

Samirah stood up straight, checking on the blaster wounds and scuffs on her body. She was impressed that Bastila was able to heal her so well. She still had a few aches and cuts here and there—it wasn't perfect, but she was better than before. She was sure that Bastila had even removed some of the toxin. Maybe not all, but enough. She still felt tired, but at least all of her strength hadn't been sapped. Samirah was happy to find that she wasn't overly damaged and would still be able to retrieve the codes for Canderous.

The thought of being overly damaged made her smile: treating herself like expendable goods. Sometimes, with the Republic commanding you from the sidelines, you felt just like that—expendable goods. Not fully part of their fleet but not their enemy either. She found one particular cut on her arm that Bastila had missed and she pulled out a bandage to wrap it in to keep it from bleeding. It was awkward trying to tie it with one hand and she grimaced at how difficult it was proving to be.

She hadn't noticed Carth until he was right beside her, reaching over to help her tie the bandage. She jumped at his sudden appearance which made him chuckle. She was always the same. She was always so jumpy.

"Calm down, it's just me."He said with a smile. She was hesitant at first but finally stayed still as he fixed the bandage.

When he finished, he held on to her bandage a moment longer, staring at the gray cloth. For a moment, she wondered if she was bleeding through it or something to that effect but after a few seconds he looked up at her.

"Congrats." He finally said. He attempted a smile, but it wasn't convincing. It looked forced and like he was biting back any other response he had.

She stared at him, blinking her eyes as she waited. Nothing. He said nothing more.

"Say what?" She finally asked, a little perplexed. "_Congrats?_" The way he said it, it sounded more like a sarcastic remark than anything else. Bastila gaped before she slowly placed her hand over her eyes in incredulity. He didn't. He couldn't possibly be that dense.

"Oh… ok… thanks, I guess…"Samirah finally said when he didn't respond.

When Bastila instructed him to congratulate her, she didn't mean a simple _congrats. _She was hoping for something a little more…_ You did a good job, I'm proud of you. _Something like that—anything really. Something more than a plain _congrats._ It was more of the_ way_ he said it… it sounded condescending, almost. Patronizing even. Maybe when she was speaking with him, she shouldn't have used the word _congratulate._

Maybe she should be more specific with him. Heavens, he was making things more difficult.

Samirah just shook her head and looked away. Wow, did she disappoint him that much? She would have much rather have heard him berate her for her actions then pretend to be happy that she was in the fight. Without another word, she walked past him, slightly hurt that he didn't deem her worthy enough for anything else except feigned acceptance.

When she pushed past him, he swiveled around, staring at her in shock. Was she upset? What had he done? What did he say? All he said was _congrats _like Bastila told him. Was it too soon? Too late? When he looked back at the Jedi she was staring at him with disdain.

"What did I do?" He shouted and she just slowly shook her head.

"Carth, I can't possible believe that you really don't understand. _Congrats?_ Was that all you had to say?" She chided and he stared in alarm.

"That's what you told me to say!" He cried tossing his hands in front of him. What part of that did he get wrong?

"Not entirely! I said to _congratulate her._ Not to simply say _Congrats." _She shook her head hopelessly. He didn't understand any of it. That was the same thing, wasn't it?

"What's the difference?" He asked, clearly confused and clearly anxious. Bastila rolled her eyes and shook her head at the pilot.

"You may be the best pilot the Republic has to offer but when it comes right down to it, Carth Onasi, you're communication skills are in sore need of fine-tuning." She said, following after the scout who had left them behind. T3-M4 followed behind her, spitting out beeps and boops at Carth before sticking close behind Bastila. When he rolled over Carth's foot, he took that as a sign that the little droid didn't like him.

Great.

Carth stared at the droid nodding his head in defeat. Even the droid was on their side. He would never win at this rate. Everyone was beginning to go to her side.

Samirah had already excited the Cantina and was storming towards the apartments. She was going to go find Mission and fill her in. With Missions skills, she would be a wonderful asset to the Sith base infiltration. She hurried inside the apartment complex and quickly maneuvered her way to the door that belonged to them.

The lights overhead flickered, reminding her of how old and unmaintained the building was. Luckily, she wasn't planning on prolonging their stay on this planet much longer. She was sure any extended exposure to this planet would not only take her sanity but would turn her into a cynical human being. She didn't want that.

It was bad enough with Carth Onasi and his inconsistent attitude. She wanted to scream, she wanted out of there, she wanted to be on her own and she wanted some peace and quiet. Most of that she wouldn't get and the others would come in due time. She just needed to be patient. She just needed to keep strong and keep moving forward. There was no going back. There can't be any _ifs, ands, _or_ buts _because _ifs_ slow you down, _ands_ only add complications and _buts_ were usually always followed by _what ifs_... and that should be self explanatory. They were followed by regrets and indecision.

Yet, like the fool she was, she couldn't help but think about these things she could have done differently. The things she _should_ have done differently. It never gets easier. No matter how badly you wanted it too or how strongly you wished it too—you had to keep moving and move beyond the obstacles.

She couldn't remember very well, but she was pretty sure that it was her mother who always said: _We fall down and we get back up. Not because it hurts or because the floor is cold—that's only part of it. We get up so that we can move on and learn to fall down with grace._

She never really understood much of that as a kid but it kind of made sense now. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her mother or her family.

She hoped that Bastila and Carth took their time getting back to the apartment. Actually. She hoped that Carth took his time. She really didn't mind if Bastila was around, at least not right now. As long as she kept her attitude in check, they wouldn't have any problems.

For now, at least.

Usually if it wasn't Carth, it was Bastila. She had gone from never working with people to working with the most outrageous, nerve wrecking and overbearing people she could possible think of.

Wow, the force must have some wicked sense of humor because she wasn't laughing. She just needed to clear her head and focus on the task at hand.

Break into a base, steal some codes, talk to a Mandalorian, then follow the Mandalorians crazy idea and they would hopefully be home free.

Yeah… not the easiest task, but hopefully it would be worth it. At this point, this was all they had left and any other option—well, they weren't exactly an option now were they.

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** I Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you think. Even simple Hello's are welcomed ^-^ **

**I open to just about anything! Well, thank you for reading and if i've kept you interest thus far than i'm happy i've written something for you to enjoy.**

**Thanks again and have a wonderful day!**

**Sincerely,**

**-SilverShards-**


	12. Chapter 11: Don't Test Me

**Disclaimer: Rights to KOTOR or the STAR WARS Universe do not belong to me but if someone wants to buy them for me... I'm not complaining ^_^**

**I am so sorry it has taken me this long to update! I fear you guys might be ready to shoot me! I have reasons! Mind you, they aren't good reasons... I really hope you guys can forgive me. I feel awful for taking so long so without wasting anymore of your time: The chapter!**

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**Don't Test Me**

"_I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn't."_

Samirah punched in the code to unlock their apartment door and quickly entered the room. It wasn't the most pleasant room she had ever had but it definitely wasn't the worse. She was sure the fluorescent lighting would kill her eye sight so that was definitely some incentive to get the hell out of there. Mission was seated across from Zaalbar, dealing out a hand of Pazaak. She turned when Samirah strolled in and smiled happily at her.

"Hey." She greeted casually before her face fell. "Did something happen?"

Samirah smiled as casually as she could muster at Mission. It really shouldn't be a big deal. She should be used to Carth and his ways by now. She just needed a moment to get her mind in check and get over it.

"Nothing, just dealing with Carth and his style… I really shouldn't expect much anymore."She said nonchalantly. Mission just laughed.

"You shouldn't take him too seriously, guys will be guys. You can't do much about them except smile and nod your head, ya know?" Samirah paused in her movements before she slowly turned to look at Mission with her arms crossed and a small smile.

"And when did you become so wise?" Mission turned and gave her the most innocent face she could muster.

"Us girls, we're born like that, we have to look out for each other. Guys are born with just one too many screws loose." She said as neutral and indifferent as she could. It almost sounded like the truth. Samirah bursted into a fit of laughter and Zaalbar just roared with disapproval.

"**Mission…"**She just shrugged at him.

"Oh, come on, Big Z. You don't really fall in that category." She smiled before laughing with Samirah.

They continued to laugh for several moments before Samirah was able to stop. She really needed that. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard and it was actually a little refreshing. She was indebted to Mission and grateful that she was here. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad having her and Zaalbar around.

She suddenly remembered the life-debt and how those two would_ always_ be around. Before, the idea had seemed so preposterous that she tried to think of ways out of it but to no avail. Now, it didn't seem so bad. Zaalbar kept mostly to himself and Mission was a good outlet. She felt like Mission would always have her back and would be there if Samirah ever needed it.

"So, what's the big plan?" Samirah pulled a chair up and watched as she played her game of Pazaak with Zaalbar, casually talking but never losing focus.

"You know I have a plan, huh?"

"Knowing you, you'd still be out scowling all of Taris if you didn't." Samirah laughed softly at the idea of her scowling the streets like a hungry Kath hound.

"Alright, so let's say I do have a plan. Would you be interested?" Mission looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a half smirk on her lips before turning back to the game. A smile spread across her face as she folded her arms on the table and rested her head against the lengths of them.

"Ok, so you're interested. How much more interested would you get if I told you Canderous Ordo approached me and was the one who came up with the plan?" Mission spun to look at her so fast, she nearly lost her cards. She fumbled with them and finally had them all together before giving Samirah an incredulous look.

"Canderous came to _you?_ As far as I know, he's never asked for help." Samirah nodded.

"Right, he usually doesn't. This time he did because he believes that if he broke into the Sith Base himself, everyone would know that it was him and that he was the one who stole the Launch codes. The plan would be in shambles before it hardly began." This time Mission dropped all of her cards across the table, not caring as she shot Samirah a look of shock.

"_The Sith Base? The Launch codes?_ Are you serious?" When Samirah nodded slowly, her face serious, Mission looked at Zaalbar who was more curious than surprised. "Wow, this is _big! _Like, really big!" Samirah nodded again.

"That's why I'm going to need your help. You and I can slip in undetected. We would be able to get in and out much better than anyone else here. Canderous had us pick up a droid that could get us inside." When Mission frowned, Samirah held her hands up to stop any comment she was about to release. "I know, I know, I thought the same thing. Then again, you never know how serious they are. It might take us an hour or two to get through the door but this droid will be able to get us by in _seconds."_

Mission thought carefully about that as she gathered back up the cards she had dropped. She patted them together before spreading them out in her hand so she could make her next move.

"Ok, so we get the launch codes after hopefully not dying in the base. I get that. What do we do with them then?" She asked as Zaalbar waited patiently for her to move. She placed down a +/-2 card, adding 2 to her score. She was at 17.

"Well, that's where it gets tricky. We're supposed to meet Canderous in the lower city Cantina and he's going to somehow take us to Davik Kang's home and get us inside." She shot Samirah a weary glance. And she hadn't even gotten to the good part yet. "And then… somehow, with Canderous' help, we'll steal Davik's flagship, break the Sith quarantine and get the hell out of here!"

When she finished, Mission was staring at her in surprise, waiting for the punch line. Zaalbar had already placed his card down—a +2 card, making his score 19. He was now waiting for Mission to place her card down but she was too focused on Samirah, waiting for her to tell her the real plan and that she was only joking. When it never came, she tossed her cards and turned fully to look at Samirah.

"Are you crazy? We're breaking into the Sith base and then breaking into _the _Davik Kang's estate? That's—that's insane! Isn't it?" Zaalbar just tossed his cards in the air, realizing that the game was all but forgotten to Mission. He mumbled incoherently before turning to the fridge to fish some more food out.

"Well, you're half right—I think. If Canderous works for Davik, I think he can get us inside without having us break down any doors… I think. That's all theoretical of course and we'll get to that part once we get in and out of the Sith base. We're having to rely a lot on Canderous but what can we do? This is kind of our best option out of here. Are you in?" She asked.

Several different emotions passed over Missions face. She thought Samirah had to be crazy. You had to be to break into the Sith base and then to steal a flag ship from the number one crime lord on Taris. The plan went from bad to worse. It was almost ludicrous to think that they could break in and out without any problems or incidents. The idea was crazy… but between Samirah and Mission, it could be done. Theoretically.

Mission finally settled on a resolute emotion.

"Alright Sami, I'm in." She smirked as she stood, placing both hands on her hips. "When do we start?" Samirah stood, placing the chair back in its rightful place, smirking at the Twi'leks enthusiasm.

"Well, I don't know about you but after the day I've had… I think I may fair a little bit better if I've had some sleep." She said and Mission glanced at her scrapes and the bandage on her arm, frowning.

"Yeah… you don't look all that well. What did you do? Make enemies with someone else while I wasn't looking?" Samirah laughed as she moved to her little corner of the room. She smoothed out the blanket and the small pillow, patting it down in hopes of fluffing it up a bit. She slowly lowered herself down, wincing every time her body moved.

"I guess you could say that… I killed Bendak Starkiller." Mission froze for a few moments, alarm covering her face. After several moments she laughed uneasily.

"What's funny is that I believe you… I'm not sure why, but… wow, _Bendak?_ He was an old legend, right? I thought he retired?" She asked, thinking out loud. Samirah was finally resting her head against the pillow, trying to find the most comfortable position. It wasn't hard; anything was more comfortable than being tossed around in a duel.

"He was… but he came out to fight me. Thought I was _worthy_. When I wouldn't kill him… he blew himself up. I think he was waiting for someone to kill him in a match… that final glory or something, I don't know. It's weird… I'd probably understand it better if… I asked a Mandalorian…" She said softly and Mission just nodded. She sat down, not really paying attention to Zaalbar or what he was eating. There was really no telling with him.

Though, it was better than a Gamorrean slaver's arm.

"Why don't you lie down in the bed?" Mission asked curiously. Samirah just shrugged.

"Habit… I guess…" She said much quieter and Mission took that as her queue to stop asking questions and let the poor girl sleep.

She watched as Samirah's breathing went even and figured that she was out. She must be tired. She probably never really got a decent night's sleep, not here at least. Not with the quarantine and their constant search for the Jedi. Even when they found her, they weren't at ease. Sleep probably didn't come easy to them.

Mission didn't know the half of it. Samirah was back in that bleak and empty space. The usual. Faces flashed in front of her eyes and so did the voices. A voice that tickled the back of her mind.

"…_What are you doing? Won't they get angry?"_

"… _No, that's a bad idea…"_

"_It's just how things are… you can't change it anymore than I can…"_

None of it made sense and she was sure it was just the stress of everything building up and then releasing itself when she slept. It was… normal… right? As her mind drifted away to the unknown sounds and faces that she would more than likely not remember when she woke up, she unintentionally grimaced. Just once, she wanted to sleep and dream of nothing. Anything to put her mind to rest.

Mission sat quietly at the table for mere moments before the door was being jingled. Someone didn't know the code. Mission was quickly on the move as she grabbed her vibroblade and Zaalbar had his bowcaster out and pointed at the door. After several moments the door popped open and Mission leapt at the door, ready to attack the intruder.

As the intruder walked in, Mission had her blade in the air as she charged. When she saw Bastila stroll in, it was too late to stop her attack. Bastila's eyes went wide before she threw her hand out, using the Force to halt Mission's attack as the droid rolled in quickly, beeping angrily at her. Bastila held Mission in front of her with the force before setting her down with a stern look.

"What the devil was that for? That isn't exactly a proper greeting. I'm beginning to realize that having a weapon pointed at your face may indeed be a greeting to you people." She shouted recalling how Carth had tried to shoot her at the dueling arena. Mission hushed her quickly, ignoring her enraged remark.

"Keep it down, will ya? Sami's sleeping over there." Bastila looked over to where Samirah resided, asleep in the corner. That was fast.

"She's asleep all ready? Do we have the time for it? And why in the world is she asleep on the floor!" She cried. Mission shushed her again earning angry beeping sounds from T3-M4.

"She said something about it being a habit…" That was the only question Mission could answer.

"Habit? What kind of—" Bastila let out a sigh of frustration before nodding. Of course Samirah needed to rest. Though, she wasn't sure why she was asleep on the floor, she was going to make it a point to find out. She would let Samirah get some rest. She deserved that much.

It was just going to be stressful as the next few hours ticked by.

Bastila needed to get to the Jedi Council and she knew every second counted. Then again, she also knew that without Samirah in tiptop shape… they weren't exactly going anywhere. She fumed for a moment before letting out a big sigh and taking a seat on the couch. The droid moved till it was sitting beside Bastila's leg and she let out another sigh, just giving up.

"Oh, alright. But just for now, after this I don't want any attachment." She said and he chimed excitedly. Mission closed the door as Zaalbar sat back down, resting the bowcaster down against his chair, mumbling to himself.

Mission glanced at the door and then back at Bastila, a little concerned.

"Quick question… Where's Carth? And why did you hack the security system?" She questioned.

"Well, it would seem that Carth is taking his sweet time returning and without him, I had no way of entering the room. Luckily, this droid seems to have taken a liking to me and hacked the system. It's very skilled, I'll give it that." Mission nodded as she settled back in her chair but not to play pazaak.

So that was the droid Samirah had mentioned. Must be one heck of a droid to have that kind of potential. She had examined the lock Sami had put in and it wasn't some crumby security. It was pretty good. She had to give Samirah some credit.

Bastila's mind drifted elsewhere as she stared at … well, nothing really. Mission watched her for a moment before it became apparent that she wasn't paying much attention. She decided that she would just shuffle through her deck of Pazaak cards and improve it while she waited for Carth to appear. It didn't take long either.

The sound of the security system being disengaged was heard inside and it jarred Bastila from her deep thinking. The door opened as a perplexed Carth entered. Speak of the devil. He closed the door and didn't even take a look at his surrounding before taking a deep breath.

"Samirah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I hadn't meant to sound so… To be honest, I don't know what. It just didn't come out the way I had planned so…"He kept his eyes pointed at the floor and fidgeted as he spoke. Mission and Bastila glanced at each other, neither one of them wanting to say anything to Carth. They wanted to see how long he would talk until he realized she was asleep.

He was keeping his eyes averted hoping he could say what he had to say without worrying about her interrupting or that disbelieving gaze she would sometimes wear. He figured it would be easier if he wasn't looking directly at her.

"So, I'll say it properly. I think what you did was amazing and frankly, I'm surprised you were able to walk out alive. I'm not sure how, but you—"He finally dragged his gaze back up to meet a pair of brown eyes… but they weren't the chocolate brown pair he had hoped to see. Bastila? But then… where was Samirah?

He then took a moment to actually look around. Mission was seated at the table, staring at him with a smirk while Zaalbar ate whatever food he had scavenged up, across from her. He seemed oblivious to his surroundings. He then turned his head to meet Bastila's eyes as she eyed him curiously.

"Endearing. Would have been better if she was actually awake to hear you, Carth." His eyes darted to where her sleeping form was and he cursed himself.

"What? Why is she sleeping!" He said angrily. Mission shushed him, annoyed that she had to keep doing that. Did everyone not understand that it's hard to sleep with noise?

"Carth, it is best if you do not wake her." Bastila mused. "She may not be happy to find it was _you_ who woke her." Carth opened his mouth to respond but promptly closed it. Bastila was smirking and Mission had turned around to hide her smile.

Of course. They were getting a kick out of his embarrassment. Out of his mistake. This is what you would call karma, he was sure. He sighed before giving up and walking across the room and sitting in an empty chair. Bastila's eyes never stopped following him and he wasn't sure he liked it.

"What do you want?" He finally breathed. He would have liked it more if Bastila was the one sleeping instead of Samirah. Samirah was probably easier to deal with than Bastila and her superior behavior. He almost wondered if she really was key to winning this war.

"Why is she sleeping on the floor?" Wasn't exactly what he expected to hear.

"What?" He asked completely taken off guard. Bastila rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. She didn't think it was a hard question.

"Carth, why is she asleep on the floor? It's a simple question." Carth looked over at Samirah's sleeping form in the corner. Her back was facing them and she was curled up under the thin blanket. He could see the small movement that indicated that she was breathing.

"Well… I don't know exactly." Bastila furrowed her brow, not understanding. "She said it was a habit of hers… I offered her the bed but she refused saying she was more comfortable on the floor." He shook his head.

"So you just left it at that? You didn't argue the point?" Bastila couldn't believe what she was hearing. She gave him an answer and he just… what, left it at that?

"What was I supposed to do? _Force_ her to sleep in the bed?" He said a little louder than Mission would have liked. When she cleared her throat he glanced at her as she looked at him pointedly. He quickly raised his hand in acknowledgement before returning his gaze to Bastila.

"I expected you to be more like a gentleman. At least keep her from sleeping on the floor and catching a cold or something." Was she serious? What more was he supposed to do? She was so stubborn and probably didn't care what he wanted when it came to_ her_ well being. She was pretty sure that she knew how to take care of herself.

"You know what? Then you make her. If you're so adamant about her not sleeping on the floor, then you make her take the bed." He challenged. She raised an eyebrow before nodding curtly.

"Alright, if I must." She stood up, straightening her robes and turning to Mission. "Mission, may I acquire your assistance?" Mission was hesitant at first but slowly agreed.

Bastila stood by Samirah's head and pointed for Mission to take her feet. Mission hesitated again before slowly walking to the end. Carth knew where this was going and knew it wouldn't end well if they dropped her on the floor. As they bent down and were about to pick her up, he approached them and swatted them away.

"You drop her and we'll all get an earful." He stated. Bastila and Mission backed away, allowing him room as he slid his arms under Samirah and lifted her up. He bit his lower lip as he hoisted her and made sure he had a firm hold on her.

Her head fell back and for a moment her eyes flittered open. Her head shot forward and for a second, Carth was sure she had woken up. Her eyes were open, but she wasn't really seeing anything. Her eye lids were drooping as she tried to keep them open and become aware, but Carth could tell she was too tired. Her body had tensed up and ready to attack whoever had a hold of her.

"_Hey, hey… shhhh…"_ He soothed and after a moment, she slowly relaxed back into his arms.

Her eyes slowly closed as her head fell against him and her body fell still in his arms. He paused for a moment when her head fell against his chest, smiling slightly as he positioned his hold so that it was more comfortable.

He breathed a sigh of relief before slowly moving to the bed and gently laying her there. She tossed for a moment before settling into the pillow. He draped the blanket over her, pausing for the briefest of moments, before turning to look at Bastila. She was smirking with her arms crossed, an air of triumph emitting from her.

"Was that so hard?" She asked, making him frown.

"You know, you could have just used the force and moved her yourself." He mused. She looked at him in shock.

"I would never use to force for personal gain. It is beneath me. The very idea of it is preposterous." Carth chuckled, not believing it for a bit.

He was going to let the conversation end there but Mission wasn't about to. She was seated in the chair at the table, her legs crossed as she tinkered with her blade. She looked up at Bastila curiously. Surely that wasn't correct. Surely she had done a few things, Mission knows she would have. Tossed a Vulkar around for picking on her and Zaalbar or maybe even those Rodians who always bothered them. It was a waste to simply not do anything with it.

"Ah, come on. There's got to have been times when you've thought about it. Don't be so stuck up—you can tell me." She winked. "Our little secret? Samirah would never have to know."

Bastila's eyes went wide at the accusation. She didn't see it, did she? Of course not. Who would admit to being stuck up? Bastila placed her hands delicately on her hips and held her head high while looking at Mission.

"I. Am not. Stuck up." She stated sternly. "I merely have the years of training to give me the wisdom and understanding to see how childish such an act would be." She finished as calm as she could. Carth leaned against the wall by the bed, trying to avoid any contact with either one.

He figured it was best to sit this one out.

Mission piped up at the mention of the word _childish._ If there was one thing Mission hated—it was any accusation that she was just a kid. She may be _young_ but she was by far not _childish._

"Childish? Is that a crack about my age?" She glowered at Bastila who ignored it. "You ain't much older than me, miss high and mighty! Just 'cause you're some Jedi doesn't mean you can be a prissy little—"

The chair Mission sat on was pulled out from the front two legs sending the chair backwards. Mission tumbled out in shock. Both Carth and Zaalbar had jumped up and hurried over to her to make sure that she was ok. She wasn't hurt but just startled out of her blue Twi'lekian skin. When they set the chair back up, she was hesitant to sit back down. She turned and glared at Bastila who hadn't even attempted to help. She didn't even budge.

That smug little—

"Hey, that wasn't funny!" She shouted. Carth glanced uneasily at Samirah and shushed Mission. She in turn, waved him off like he had earlier making him smile. He was beginning to like this kid more and more.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mission. Though, I would recommend that you try to be less clumsy in the future. It may benefit you." She said smugly before sitting back down on the couch. Mission was about to retort something but Carth gave her sharp look before nodding in Samirah's direction.

She sighed, letting it go. She figured Samirah needed sleep more than she needed to fight with Bastila. She spun in the chair, frowning as she began tinkering with Zaalbar's bowcaster. Zaalbar on the other hand, went back to eating his food, allowing her to do as she wished.

Carth settled for sitting in a chair where he could see everyone—even the sleeping girl not too far away. They sat quietly for a while, everyone keeping to themselves. Bastila's mind wondered as the droid beside her made audible sounds, trying to relay his attachment to her. She wondered what was going to happen once they left Taris. Would everyone split up? Go their separate ways? She didn't care as long as Samirah came with her to see the Council.

She would very much like to see the Jedi Council because she required their guidance.

How much longer was Samirah going to sleep? They weren't going to get the codes with her sleeping the world away. How long had it been? An hour? Was it really only an hour? Bastila mentally groaned as time ticked away and she grew impatient waiting. She tapped her finger against her arm and she focused on the wall but not really looking at it.

Carth noticed Bastila's growing impatience and wondered how much longer she could last. They wanted to keep quiet for Samirah's sake but they were also at a loss as to what to do. Mission had moved from tinkering on Zaalbar's bowcaster to playing yet another game of Pazaak with Zaalbar. Carth didn't understand how the game could provide her so much amusement for so long. He didn't understand the fascination of the game.

As time ticked by slowly, Carth had settled with tinkering on his own weapon while Bastila began meditating off to the side. Mission and Zaalbar were deep into a game of Pazaak—Mission winning for the fifteenth time in a row. Carth glanced around at everyone quietly working before looking at Samirah. She had turned over and was facing them as she slept, her hands placed neatly under her cheek, the blanket rolled down to her waist. He was concerned when her face was contorted and she kept wincing like she was in pain.

Was she having a bad dream? A nightmare? Whatever it was, she didn't seem to be resting easy. He tentatively stood up from the workbench and casually walked over to her side, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders. She jerked away from the movement before slowly relaxing under the warmth and comfort the small act provided her. He mildly wondered what could make her sleep so uneasily, what made her look like she was in so much pain? She was so determined to help him figure out his problems but he had no idea what problems she could be facing.

Hell, her only problem was probably trying to restrain herself from killing him for being so damn stubborn. The thought brought a half smirk to his face as he just gazed at her sleeping face. He knew he was difficult to deal with, but he didn't know how difficult he was to her. What did she think of him? Did she think he was more trouble than he was worth or that there was something worth finding out?

"Carth…" He jerked his gaze away to the Jedi off to the side. She was watching him from her corner of the room, still seated in her meditation like posture. "I dare say that smiling to yourself while hovering over her makes me wonder what you're thinking."He simply shrugged at Bastila before stepping away from the bed and leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"She just makes me wonder… after everything that's happened, she remains so strong and sure of herself. Optimistic even." Bastila scrunched up her brow, giving him a puzzled look.

"You'd rather she wasn't?" She questioned and he shook his head slowly. Mission quietly got up and silently began to brew a small pot of tea, hopping it would help somehow.

"That's not what I meant. It's just unexpected. I don't know, I guess I expected… so _little_ from a recruit like her. I never expected her to get us this far…" He said in a tone that made Bastila believe he was astonished by the small girl. He really didn't expect so much fight from her.

"She certainly is… _something._" Bastila said quietly making Carth knit his brows together, giving her a questioning look that she promptly brushed away. She wasn't about to delve into details, not with him at least. "Forget I said anything… to move to matters more at hand, I believe we should wake her."

Everyone turned to look at her in alarm. Carth crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her suggestion.

"She's really tired, Bastila, I think we should let her sleep a bit longer, don't ya think?" Mission questioned as she returned to her seat with a cup of tea, earning an agreement from Zaalbar. Bastila rolled her eyes, not really caring what they thought was best at all.

"We don't have time for such luxuries. We need to get away from this planet as soon as possible. The longer we stay the more at risk we are. She's had enough time to get a bit of rest, but we need to leave." She said, standing up from her seated posture and standing tall. She brushed her pink robes off before looking to Carth expectantly. Apparently his opinion held a bit more weight.

But only a little bit.

He eyed her for a moment wondering how much weight his words really held with Bastila. She was still under the impression that she was in charge of the mission even if Samirah was doing most of the work—not all, but enough. He didn't care how powerful she was, she couldn't just assume the role of a leader if she can't be reasonable.

After a moment he nodded slowly as a smirk tugged at his lips but he did his best not to show it. He had an idea.

"Alright, I see what you mean. We should get a move on and get this over with. I'm not one to procrastinate when it comes to taking action." Bastila started to smile and he couldn't help showing his own. "But you'll have to wake her." Bastila's smile faltered as she stared at him with a startled look.

"I have to—you want me to wake her up? Why can't you?" He shook his head. Mission stifled the laugh that tried to break through her lips.

"That's right. You. The last thing I want is her to be mad at me for anything else—this time, you take her fury, not me." He said, satisfied that someone else would take the brunt force of Samirah's rage. He'd never waken her up so he didn't even know what kind of reaction to expect but he did know that he wasn't going to be the one to play the guinea pig. Not this time.

Bastila stood up tall, showing her resolve as she curtly nodded her head. The very idea of fearing the rage of the small scout was insulting. She moved gracefully over to the scouts side and cleared her throat, giving Carth one last glance. He was smiling as he nodded in her direction and Bastila returned the nod. She placed her hand on the girls shoulder and shook her gently.

"Samirah… Samirah, wake up…" She said softly, almost a whisper. Everyone had gone completely still as they watched her. Samirah's face scrunched up and Bastila leaned closer before shaking her again. "Samirah, wake up…"

"Enough… Bastila…" Samirah groaned quietly, her head shaking and Bastila frowned.

She didn't care how tired the girl was, she needed to get up. Bastila simply did not have the patience to wait. She stood up straight before holding her hand out and in one fluid motion, flicked her wrist.

The bed jolted up on its side, flinging Samirah off. Her eyes flung open and she was tossed to the floor as Bastila moved out of the way. Carth's eyes went wide in horror as he started to move to her side but stopped, thinking better of it. Samirah was immediately on her feet and in Bastila's face in mere moments, her body poised to attack. After a moment, Samirah realized it was Bastila and when she glanced around she realized there were no enemies in the room either.

There was no immediate danger.

She was woken up in such a manner for no apparent reason. Samirah didn't care if Bastila had done that to save her life or to get her moving but there was no reason for it.

It was for the fun of throwing Samirah around.

Mission looked at Bastila before a grimace formed on her face. So much for not being _childish._ If this didn't count, she didn't know what did.

Samirah slowly turned, her gaze settling in on Bastila and turning to a glare.

"What. The hell." She breathed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. She blinked her eyes just to make sure she was awake before continuing her glare. "Why did you do that? Explain yourself." She demanded and Bastila crossed her arms. Carth was surprised to see Samirah so agitated so quickly. He thought he was the only one who could ignite her anger like that.

"I needed you awake and you wouldn't wake up—you left me very little choices."

"So what, you think using the force was the best one? You're lucky I realized it was you before—"Bastila raised an eyebrow, a small smile forming.

"Before what, Samirah? I doubt you would have done any damage." Carth looked at Bastila with shock. Was she crazy? She was practically egging Samirah on. Her stare turned cold.

Whatever progress Bastila had made with Samirah—was gone.

"You're too cocky for your own good, Jedi. I'd be careful; don't they say it leads you down the path to the dark side?" She challenged, erasing every bit of humor from Bastila's face.

The two women stared at each other, neither one letting down their guard. Carth could feel the tension from where he stood. He glanced at each one and then at Mission who couldn't decide if this was good entertainment or if she should be thoroughly concerned. Carth stepped up and between the two, deciding he would try and play the part of the mediator. A part he was unaccustomed too.

"Alright, just settle down you two. There are more important things to do then to pick fights amongst ourselves." He said, glancing between the two. Samirah let up her gaze to rub her eyes. She was still tired but he was right. Bastila did the same, but reluctantly. She looked away from Samirah, crossing her arms.

Carth figured they were getting nowhere, fast. And he thought a fight between him and Samirah was bad.

"Alright, so there must have been a reason to wake me. What's going on?" She said, slouching against the back of the couch and stifling a yawn. Mission popped out of her chair and brought her a cup of tea. Samirah smiled at her before sipping the warm liquid and sighing happily.

Ok, if she got tea in return, she was fine being woken up. The only thing that agitated her was the way the pampered Jedi decided to get it done. Bastila didn't look at her, but spoke anyway.

"We need to get off this planet and we won't get it done while you're sleeping." Samirah rolled her eyes, now awake after the commotion.

"Well, I'm sorry that we aren't meeting your time quota. That's on my list of things to fix." She mumbled earning a sharp look from Bastila. Samirah didn't care. Right now, there was very little she cared for. "I'm on it. Give me five minutes and I'll be on my way…" She said reluctantly before sipping more of the herbal tea and setting it down on the table.

She moved away from the living area and towards the refresher, closing the door behind her. Carth shot Bastila a look of disapproval. When she caught his glance she only looked away, unaffected by his dissatisfaction by her method.

"Very smooth." He stated curtly. He only earned a curt and high pitched _humph_ from her as she moved away from him and to the couch, sitting down with her arms crossed.

"Like you could do better, Onasi." He didn't respond. He knew better.

No matter what he did, he would have probably irritated Samirah but in a different way. He was just content that he wasn't on the receiving end this time. He was already in hot water with the scout; he didn't want to make matters worse.

Even though she complained to them, Samirah would get the job done and would be so excited at the end. She probably only complained because of Bastila and himself. They did tend to make things a little bit harder on her.

After a few minutes, Samirah emerged looking refreshed. Her hair was neatly pulled into a ponytail and she was dressed in clean clothes, her belt and weapons already strapped on. Her brown eyes alert and attentive as she glanced around the room: all signs of her earlier annoyance gone. She was ready. Carth couldn't believe she was ready so quickly and awake too. He pushed himself from the wall as he moved to the bench and putting his blaster back into the holster around his waist. He jostled the handle a bit and checked to make sure it was in working order after his tinkering.

Mission popped up out of her chair, prepping herself and checking to make sure that T3-M4 was up and ready to go. Samirah noticed Carth getting ready and she bit her bottom lip. Apparently, he didn't know that he wasn't coming. It wasn't that she didn't want him to come along, it was just that it would be better if it was just the droid, Mission and herself. They could get in and get out and be done with it all.

"Carth…" She started. He glanced up at her as he finally left the blaster alone, deciding it was fine as is. She took a deep breath and let it out before looking him in the eye. "You're staying here." She said bluntly. The room became very quiet as everyone was watching him for a response.

When he didn't respond she leaned forward, wondering if he had heard her. He simply looked at her, blinking and seemingly waiting for something. After several moments passed and no words were said, Samirah frowned before repeating herself.

"Carth, I said you're—"

"I heard you." He interrupted, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned back on one foot. "And that's not happening. I'm coming with you." She shook her head.

"I'm trying to keep this as quiet as possible. T3-M4 is getting us inside while Mission and I sneak around. She's better suited for this than you. Anymore more than us and for all we know, they could raise an alarm. We have to keep to the shadows and keep this all under wraps." She stated it firmly, leaving no room for negotiations.

Unfortunately, she had a point. Carth didn't like her going on a little escapade like this without him around to help her but he couldn't really argue the point. If they kept it quiet then the infiltration would be a success and hopefully without a hitch. The last thing they needed was to be on the run from a horde of Sith chasing them down alley ways and streets. It would have been really counterproductive on their part.

Carth grudgingly nodded his head. He didn't like it, but he really didn't have a choice this time. Samirah's face lit up, happy that she didn't have to restrain him and have the Wookiee hold him back while they snuck out. This way was much easier. Besides, he had yet to apologize for earlier and she seemed to have already gotten past that so this was the next best thing he could do for an apology.

He hated admitting he was wrong anyway.

"Alright, I'll stay." He said quietly, taking the blaster out of its holster and sitting down at the workbench with it. For once, Samirah was ecstatic that he agreed without fighting her or arguing with her.

"Thanks Carth. We won't be long, I promise." She said with a soft smile. He just nodded his head and gave her the best smile he could.

Samirah and Mission talked quickly with each other about the plans when they got there. Samirah slid her backpack on, letting it remind her of the debts she owed and that she had no intentions of being taken prisoner to the Sith. Zaalbar gave them a few supplies and Bastila gave them a few words of her wisdom—wisdom that irritated Samirah. Bastila was acting as if between her and Mission, they would screw it all up.

Her confidence was really inspiring.

"Thanks…" Samirah mumbled as Bastila finished her lecture, earning a glare from the young Jedi.

"My guidance is something you are going to need and without me around to give it to you, I must do the best I can to give it to you now." Samirah sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she crossed her arms.

"Listen, don't take this the wrong way Bastila, but I've done just fine without you and I think with my experience, I can get these codes without getting myself killed." Bastila took a similar stance as Samirah, her head tilted slightly higher to look superior.

"Yes, well, I suppose we'll find out won't we." She stated haughtily and it only made Samirah grimace. This woman… it was a wonder that she was a Jedi at all. Sure she could use the force but her attitude half the time was very un-Jedi-like.

Not wanting to argue any further with her, Samirah kneeled down beside the droid with a smile.

"Are you ready?" She asked and he beeped his response before rolling towards the door and waiting patiently. Apparently their little banter didn't weigh too heavily on the droids mind… or circuit board.

Samirah and Mission were fitted with their weapons, utility belts and the small backpacks on their backs. Samirah tightened her ponytail and pulled her gloves on tighter as Carth watched her from the bench. She caught his eyes and smiled at him.

"Don't worry flyboy, we'll be back soon." He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding with a light chuckle.

"Yeah, I know. Be careful and… don't die." He said with a smirk and Samirah couldn't help the tug on her lips either.

Words similar to what he had said before she entered the ring to fight Bendak. She shook her head, a smile spreading across her lips as she moved to the door. Mission was holding it open as T3-M4 rolled out and waited for Samirah. She gave one last glance to Carth before darting out the door followed by Mission. The door closed slowly behind them, clicking loudly to ensure that it was now locked.

Carth stared at the door a moment longer until he finally pulled his gaze away. Again, he was left to sit idly by while she goes off on some dangerous quest to get them off Taris. What was worse was that he had to rely not solely on Samirah, but Mission too. Mission was good but she was also just a kid and the very thought sent shivers down Carth's back. He would have rather he had gone for back up.

He fiddled with his blaster, not really focusing on what he was doing as he allowed his mind to wander elsewhere. He thought about the different scenarios that could happen as he tinkered away at the blaster and the different components. Not a healthy habit at all. If he continued like this, his mind would implode from stress and bad thinking.

Bastila studied him for a moment before rolling her eyes at the pilot.

"Carth…" She started, not really catching his attention. She narrowed her eyes and spoke louder, but slower. "Carth Onasi…" When he didn't move her hand twitched before picking up a pillow and throwing it at his head.

"Carth Onasi!" She shouted as the pillow connected with his head, startling him enough that he dropped the blaster and spun around to stare at her.

"What in the blazes do you want, woman!" He shouted and for a moment, she was stunned.

"_Woman?_ Is that how you address a superior officer?" She scoffed, folding her arms neatly across her chest and fixing a glare on him. He slumped in his chair, not really wanting to fight with her. Was that all she did? Complain, gripe and cause problems? They might as well pull out the white flag for this war if she was supposed to be their savior.

"Ok, _Bastila_, what do you want?" She waited a brief moment before speaking, letting the silence between them stretch on a bit.

"For you to have a little faith." He rubbed his face and gave her an incredulous look._ Now_ she wanted to act like she was a wise and all knowing Jedi? Maybe Samirah throwing the dark side in her face was bugging her.

"If you tell me how the force is working through her, so help me I'll—"

"You'll do what Carth Onasi?" She challenged. Apparently, she didn't think anyone would do anything to her. They glared at each other for a moment more before Carth stood up abruptly, making the legs of the chair screech against the floor.

He picked up his blaster from the floor and holstered it, keeping his eyes set on the Jedi. He adjusted his jacket before walking straight for the door and yanking it open roughly. She raised an eyebrow before a sneer spread across her face.

"Where do you think you're going? You're not going after her are you? Surely you don't plan on telling on me like a child?" She chortled only irritating him more. He stood in the doorway, holding the door open with a grimace.

"No, I'm not chasing after her; I'm getting away from you. If they're get to be away from your arrogant nature then why can't I?" He said matter-of-factly, not really posing it as a question before he closed the door shut.

The only thing he felt bad about was leaving poor Zaalbar alone with the overwhelming Jedi. He could handle himself for the most part anyway. He was so quiet; she would probably forget he was even there to begin with.

As for Carth, he was off to the Cantina to relax, away from the nitpicking woman who was insistent that the force was everything. She thought that the Force alone was keeping Samirah alive and that it was always with her. Carth couldn't accept that idea as easily as she could. It would be a great relief if the Force was watching out for her but… It was difficult to acknowledge.

He decided he would just go to the Cantina and wait for their arrival—better yet; he could wait for them in the lower city Cantina. That's where the Mandalorian was going to wait for them right? If he waited there, he would be able to catch up with Samirah before she handed him the launch codes. He didn't trust that guy—just a gun for hire. If you could afford him, he was yours. Carth was sure the Mandalorian had tricks up his sleeve and Samirah was too trusting to probably see through it.

He maneuvered his way through the crowds, making his way towards the elevator that traveled to the lower city. As he got closer, a sudden realization hit him and he felt like an idiot: He didn't have the security papers to get him past the guard. Damn. He was about to just give up the whole idea of it when he turned the corner just to see if he was lucky enough to have a careless guard by the door.

He wasn't. The guard was standing at attention, his gaze staring at nothing in particular. He was probably waiting for some idiot—One probably by the name of Carth Onasi—to attempt to get past him and to the lower city. While on the topic, why guard the elevator _to_ the lower city? People coming up? Sure, but why would you care who went down? Carth wondered if it was worth it to try and bribe the guy.

He was about to find out.

Carth stepped out from behind the wall and was about to walk towards the guard when the soldier's hand flipped up to his head. He held it beside his ear, probably listening to a transmission before his head whipped up to his right. The guard nodded and muttered something back as he slowly moved away from the door. Carth was hoping that it wasn't just a ruse to lure him in for an attack.

Why would they need to lure him anyway? He was about to just walk up to the guy anyhow so there was no need for him to go to the extra effort on his account.

"What do you mean—No, no one's here—"He shook his head."—I understand, but no one suspicious walked by. Are you doubting me? I work just as much as you do so don't you—"He let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing the armor wrapped around his neck. "Alright, I'll check, but the idiots inside probably screwed up… damn it…"

The guard nodded his head before walking to his right and through a threshold leading to another building. Carth peered around the corner to find the guard heading straight for the Sith base.

The base Samirah was in.

Carth was really hopping that she hadn't gotten herself into a mess that she couldn't get out of. He looked at the vacant and unguarded elevator before looking back at the base. Go after Samirah or go to the Cantina. He really wanted to go after Samirah but in the event that they had yet to be found… he didn't want to ruin their chances. Damn it, he hated being useless. It was the worst feeling possible.

He dragged himself away from the wall and turned to the elevator, opening the doors. He quickly stepped in and quickly ordered it to take him to the Lower city before he could change his mind and join them on their suicidal mission. The elevator descended and he was glad that he was able to get inside without the guard there to question him.

He wondered if the guard was referring to the inside of the base and if so… Samirah worked quickly. What was going on? Did she slip up? No, she couldn't have. Then why did the guard leave his post to go to the base? Not knowing was eating at Carth like no other. If everything went smooth, she would be in the Cantina in no time and following that, they would be off this damn planet and on to better things.

He hoped at least. Nothing ever went as planned, especially in a life of military. That was probably a rule of the universe. Probably Samirah's rule too…

Now he really wished he had chosen to follow Samirah…

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**End! **

**Okay, hopefully this was a good chapter. I really enjoyed writing this one for some reason lol Give me a resview and let me know how it is, I love hearing from you guys! It makes me so happy to know what you guys think! And We are almost off of Taris! Thank the stars! I want to say one more chapter and we'll be off this rock! Only took about 15 chapters but we're nearly there! ^-^ Thanks for reading guys and I'll try and update again sometime this week! **

**That's right, update this week! It is my apology present to you for being patient and loving readers! ^-^ The world would be drab without you!**

**Much love to you guys and thanks for the support!**

**-SilverShards-**


	13. Chapter 12: Keeping it Under Wraps

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or the Star Wars Universe but if it goes on sale- I stake first claims!**

**Ok, here we are! The Chapter I promised. Right now it is 8:00 p.m. on Friday so I'm still fulfilling my promise on updating this week. If this is Saturday for anyone, I'm so sorry. I took more time writing this then i originally thought. So, as soon as it was done and proof read I brought it straight here! I hope you enjoy it.**

**Side Note: Okay, so the site's editing system won't let me keep this in the usual manner I have all my chapters so if the format looks different its because the site is being rather difficult with the formatting so i'm trying to fix it... :(**

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**Keeping it U****nder Wraps**

"_The greatest pleasure I know is to do something by __stealth__ and have it found out by accident…"_

Samirah rounded a corner, pressing her back to the wall as she pulled Mission and the small droid next to her. She held her right arm over Mission, pressing her into the wall while the other hand gripped the hilt of her vibroblade firmly. Her face didn't betray any inner turmoil she felt—it was expressionless and hard as she studied the hallway. The two Sith soldiers walked by, one rubbing the back of his head as he spun around, looking for any disturbances. When he found none, he sighed in frustration.

"I swear I saw…" He started but the other soldier smacked the back of his helmet, the clinging of armor making Samirah flinch slightly.

"You idiot… If he got free from the containment, he wouldn't have ventured further down this way, would he? He would go straight for the exit." The man's voice was deep and made him sound like he was in his forties—and in charge. The first soldier shook his head.

"But how did he get free? It's nearly impossible to get out of that containment without help." He stated, trying to make a point that Samirah didn't want him too. She didn't want to have her hand forced against them.

"Maybe one of the guards was bribed… that attendant in the front was gone. Maybe she freed him. Reynolds was by the elevator and he saw her run by earlier so it's starting to look like she was behind it." He shook his head. "Damn Twi'leks, shouldn't have trusted her, shouldn't trust any of them. They're all the same. Will do just about anything for a few credits." Mission lurched forward and Samirah used all of her strength in keeping her back with her one arm.

They were talking about Elek, the Duros who she had helped when she first woke up on Taris. He had been imprisoned at the front of the base for moving the bodies. She took a risk hacking his containment cell and releasing him before they could execute him. That Duros wasn't to blame for the death of the Sith soldiers, she was. She wasn't about to let them kill him, but he did have to go into hiding for a bit. Just until everything settled down and they realized he was the least of their problems.

"Yeah… I suppose so…" The guard finally nodded before they fell into step down the corridor. Samirah waited until she heard their footsteps die down before releasing her breath and hold on Mission.

Mission's eyes were narrowed at the empty spot where the guards had just been. Her hands balled up into fists.

"We're not all the same…" She fumed and Samirah patted her on the soldier.

"I know that, you don't have to tell me. Let those guards think what they will, we're only here for the codes. Maybe we'll leave a little _disturbance _for them on our way out." She winked at Mission who just grinned in response.

"Better make it big." She stated before checking around the corners into the hallway and seeing the door. "That way, right?" Samirah went over the schematics in her head before slowly nodding. Yeah, that was the right door. It also held one big Assault Droid who was ready to blast them into galactic dust, given the chance.

They both peered out before slowly stepping out and hurrying to the end of the hallway where a white double door stopped their path. Samirah pressed her palm to the door, just feeling the cold metal beneath her fingers. The Assault Droid was behind that door. It wasn't just the schematics in her head telling her that, it was the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew it was lying in wait for them to run in. Samirah had hacked the main frame of the facility and was able to lower the shields since they were powered through the system. Unfortunately, the machine itself wasn't so they'd have to fight through. The turrets were easy to disable, they were always linked to the computer systems and with the small droids help, it was easy to override them and put them out of order.

T3-M4 rolled forward; making a small beeping sound before Samirah slowly nodded her head, gripping her vibroblade as she pulled her hand away from the door. She leaned against the wall to the right while Mission mirrored her movement to the left. The small droid began to bypass the security on the door as the two girls pressed their backs to the wall. The moment the door opened up, the droid backed away as Samirah darted out from her corner and dodged the immediate attack from the Assault Droid.

Just like the plans said, the room was vacant of everything save for the two decommissioned turrets at the corners and the Assault Droid firing wilding from the middle of the room. It was tall and bulkier than most Droids she usually saw. It was built for the purpose of intimidating potential threats and erasing them as a danger from whatever chosen facility it was meant to guard. In this case, it was the only thing stopping Samirah from getting to the elevator that would take her to the Launch Codes. She was a breath away from leaving Taris behind and this Assault Droid wasn't going to stop her from accomplishing that.

If she could take out the targeting system, taking it down would be much easier. She slid underneath the Droid to get behind him and popped up, sliding her blade quickly along the wires of its neck. The Droid immediately began to fire randomly making Mission panic as she darted back into cover. The Droid began to move backward quickly, throwing Samirah off balance, doing a back handspring to get out of the way without falling. She was happy that she had taken the time to learn that from a Twi'lek dancer on Ryloth.

The Droid spun around, firing in her direction but the targeting system was offline so it wasn't even close to hitting her. Still, all it would take is a lucky shot and she would be out of commission so she had to be careful nonetheless. Mission poked her head out and seeing that the Droid had his back to her she jumped out, a blaster in her hand and she fired at his neck repeatedly, hoping to hit a couple of wires. A few sparks flew from the exposed neck as it spun around angrily at Mission, firing randomly at the Twi'lek as she darted around, trying to avoid his shots.

"Keep it busy!" Samirah shouted as T3-M4 tried firing from his spot behind the door. A random blast from the Assault Droids guns hit home on T3 and he began spurting out random sounds before ducking into cover.

Samirah held her blade firmly in her hands as she ran forward and jumped up, gripping the panel on the Droids upper back. She pulled hard, propelling herself up as she landed on the Droids shoulder, a foot on each side. She held the blade up and plunged it as hard as she could through the head piece and straight through the core. The Droid's head shook around as sparks popped and crackled. She struggled to pull her sword free before the Droid was able to toss her from her perch on his shoulders.

She landed on her feet before stumbling across the surface and falling on her bottom. She scrambled to her feet, holding her vibroblade in hand just in case that blow didn't do the trick. After a moment, the Droid fell still, its arms falling at its side and powering down.

"Sami, we did it!" Mission cheered in front of the Assault Droid. She waved her blaster in the air as she danced in circles making Samirah smile. T3-M4 rolled forward, the small puncture in his armor flickering with sparks. They both run up to his side checking for any damage.

"It looks worse than it is…" Samirah examined before looking to Mission. "I want you two to stay on this level. Hide over in that corner and keep a look out, ok? Patch him up in a spot they won't see you until it's too late."She instructed with a wink and Mission nodded as she pulled out a Repair Kit.

She pushed T3 into the side of the double doors and began programming it shut. The doors struggled at first before sliding into place making a grin spread across her face.

"By time they figure out its locked and start working to open it, we'll be ready to take them out, no problem." She said proudly before setting to work on the droid. "Are you going up the elevator on your own?" She asked Samirah, her attention still focused on the Droid as she opened up the kit.

"Yeah, I'm going to go get the codes. Once I get up to the next level, there's only one room and this was the security protecting that room. If all I have to worry about is one guy up there, I should be fine. Plus, I'll need you to keep everything in order here. Can you do that?" She asked and Mission just smiled.

"For sure, I've got ya coffered." Mission turned her head with a smile, nodding to Samirah before finishing the patch on the Droid who beeped affectionately at the Twi'lek. "Me and T3 have you're back." Samirah returned the smile before quickly turning and jogging up to the elevator.

The door was locked and she furrowed her brow as she began to bypass all the security protocols and entered the system. She proceeded to unlock the security on the elevator doors as they finally opened up in protest. When they were open, she slid inside and began to direct it up to the next floor. Mission threw her a quick smile and Samirah returned the favor with a quick nod and smile of her own as the doors closed, separating her from the Twi'lek.

She didn't have any reason to worry, they had cut off any alarms in the system so if everything was going as planned, no one even knew most of the systems were down. The only way would be to do a random scan of the terminals and find that most of the Security Protocols were offline. The elevator traveled up the shaft and finally stopped when she reached the top. The door opened up and she was met with a short hallway and another door. The hilt of her sword was gripped tightly in her hand as she approached the door.

Even though she figured the worst of it was over, she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't quite over yet. There was still one more hardship before they were home free with the launch codes. She reached the door, that uneasy feeling making her stomach do flips and summersaults like you wouldn't believe. Swallowing down whatever unease she was feeling she pressed the console on the wall and the doors opened painfully slow.

All the luck in the world and this is what she got?

A man sat in the middle of the room in a meditative position. A double edged sword was laid out next to him, his eyes closed as he dwelled in the far reaches of his mind. She stared at him, feeling some kind of energy radiating off of him like a fog. It was dense and yet, it wasn't potent or overwhelming, just there. She somehow knew exactly what it was without anyone having to tell her. The sadistic air to it was enough to tell her mind that this man in front of her was linked with the Force but not in a good way.

A Dark Jedi but his connection to the Force was… like a string of yarn. It was weak, but strong enough to keep him connected and pull him into the ranks of Dark Jedi.

Where was his lightsaber, then?

He was bald, hair that had been shaven clean off his head and he was dressed in black robes with a solid black collar. His robes were adorned with silver armor protecting his shoulders and abdomen. A black belt wrapped around his waist and his face was clean of any facial hair or stubble. Everything about him was clean and pristine… save for the aura that radiated off of him. The man, feeling the disturbance at his door, slowly opened his eyes. They fluttered until he was free from his meditation and his eyes drifting towards Samirah, his face forming a scowl as he slowly stood up, picking up his blade in the process.

"Who dares to break my meditation?" He demanded of her. His voice was deep and rumbled as he spoke, his eyes narrowing on Samirah. "You will pay for interrupting my—"He stopped midsentence, scrutinizing her before his face was lit up with surprise and curiosity. Samirah held her blade tightly in her grasp, unsure how to respond to his change in attitude.

"Wait…" He said slowly. "I sense the Force is strong with you. Very strong." He stated matter-of-factly. "Who would have thought a Force Adept could be found on this insignificant planet?" He laughed at the very idea and Samirah frowned.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not a Force Adept at all." She said with a smile. "I'm just not Jedi material, sorry." He shook his head.

"Ignorant to your own capabilities—how befitting. Shame, if you had been scouted by the Sith, you would have made a fine Dark Jedi." He mused out loud. "No matter, your _talent_ won't save you from a true disciple of the dark side, such as I!" He said with a darkness underlying his tone. Samirah shook her head at him slowly.

"A Dark Jedi? Really? Is that the path you really want to go down? If I have these so called _talents_ then I wouldn't want to waste them on a path full of destruction. Nothing good can come from this, surely you know that. Really, I don't understand it at all." He laughed darkly at her.

"Power, my dear. Power will lead you to everything—you're goals, you're dreams—you need Power and the surest way to get it is through the Dark Side. You speak, but the words are that of the Council. We Sith have learned to embrace the potential of the Dark Side. It is what gives us strength! Power!" He cried with a smile looking at her with a cruel smile. "Your arrival here was a stroke of luck for me. My master will surely reward me with my lightsaber once I kill you!"

"And that explains the nonexistent lightsaber…" She sighed realizing her hope of avoiding combat with him was all but lost.

He immediately fell on her, taking an aggressive approach. They locked blades, Samirah throwing a burst of strength into her blade, knocking him off guard and stumbling back. He regained his composure seconds later, battling and twirling as if he was a Dark Jedi. He wasn't, only an apprentice which was a blessing in disguise for her.

His hand to hand combat and weapon specialization was awful. She easily deflected his sword, kicking him in the stomach making him stagger backwards. He caught himself against the desk and looked at her startled as she slowly approached him, swinging her blade. She raised it over her head and as she was about to bring it down on him, he threw his hand out at her and she froze.

She didn't freeze from fear or second thoughts—she literally froze, unable to move.

Her muscles wouldn't move and she couldn't budge an inch towards him as he laughed. He pushed himself off the bench before pushing his hand at her again. She flew across the room hitting the opposite wall and knocking her to the floor, her muscles being forced to move at the impact as she released her hold on her blade. She could hardly move, the air knocked right out of her as he slowly approached, laughing cynically at her.

Pain shot through her body as she felt her energy drain from her. It was like it was being pulled from her, being sucked away, extracted. She looked at him as his hand hovered over her and this red mist drifted from her and was absorbed into him. He was using the Dark Side of the Force! Personally, she thought that this was just plain cheating.

At this rate, she wouldn't last long if she didn't break free. She commanded her muscles to move and they slowly responded but it caused physical pain to defy whatever power he held against her—the power of the Force.

_Come on… move damn it… MOVE!_

She shouted in her mind and it was like a rubber band being stretched until it snapped under the pressure. She jumped up in that instant, tackling the Dark Jedi and knocking him to the floor. As they fell, his blade awkwardly fell, hitting her upper thigh but the pain barely registered through her mind. His eyes conveyed his shock as she pulled her arm back and slammed her clenched fist into his jaw. His head snapped back from the force of the blow, something cracking—quite possibly his jaw—as he head lolled from the unexpected impact. She pulled the small dagger secured in her boots and was ready to plunge it straight through his chest when he flung her off of him.

She flew back, landing on her feet before sliding backwards. She cursed his command of the Force as he quickly got up, his jaw awkwardly positioned as he rubbed it, his eyes reminding her of the old saying—if looks could kill. She flung the knife at him and it punctured his left shoulder giving her a few seconds to grab her blade. He grabbed the dagger, smiling at her attempts to kill him as he yanked it out roughly and throwing it off to the side. Samirah twirled around her blade as he picked up his own.

She needed to end this and she needed to end it quick. She was already tired and was pretty sure that it would only take another dose of the Force to have her down and out. He laughed as he walked close to her and she gripped the hilt of her blade. She was running out of options and time. She had to think fast and move just as quickly. He was taking his time approaching her and so she was going to take a gamble.

She thrusted her blade forward letting it leave her grip as it flew forward and he threw his hand out to stop it with the Force mere inches from his stomach, the speed nowhere near fast enough for it to injure him. That's what she had hoped he would do. The moment it left her fingers, she raced towards him and with one quick spin, put as much strength as she could muster into her kick and kicked the blade at the hilt. Even though he was holding it, he was just keeping it suspended in air and the force of her kick gave it the speed it needed. His eyes went wide as the blade pierced him threw the stomach in one fluid motion.

He staggered back, surprised at the unexpected attack. She quickly pushed the blade in further with her hands until the hilt was pressing against his robes. She yanked it out roughly and pushed him back against the desk before he fell to the floor. He frantically tried to cover the spot with his hands, panicking as fear registered across his face. Samirah swiftly swung her foot connecting it smoothly across his face. The impact knocked him over, his eyes rolling back before he passed out.

She fell back against the wall and slid down trying to regain some strength. She couldn't believe that it had worked. It only worked because he wasn't a master at combat.

"You rely too heavily on the Force and not your own skill… stupid…" She breathed out.

At the rate he was bleeding, it wouldn't be long before he was dead. By time the Sith found him, he would be long gone and he wouldn't feel a thing. She knocked him out pretty good so he wasn't bound to wake up before death embraced him. She wobbled towards him and quickly searched through the pockets of his robes until she found the one thing she was after: The Sith Launch Codes. Something that important would be with him instead of a safe. Being a 'Dark Jedi' they figured he would be unopposed and undefeated so there was no chance of him losing the codes.

Apparently they were wrong.

She wiped the blood off her sword before she stumbled toward the hallway and hurried to the end where the elevator was. She opened the door and staggered into the elevator, pressing the console as the doors slid closed. She rested against the back of the wall, flinching only slightly from her tender back, as the sight at the end of the hall disappeared. She let out a shaky breath and stood tall trying to overcome the fatigue. The descent down felt like hours until it finally settled on the bottom floor. The doors slowly opened up to reveal Mission perched next to the door, her weapon held firmly in her hand. T3 was stationed on the other end, waiting quietly for any disturbance.

When the doors were fully opened, Mission's head jerked over to gaze at Samirah with a giant grin.

"We're clear so far, Sami." She said enthusiastically as Samirah moved quickly to her side. Mission looked her up and down, her face slowly falling as she noticed her tired expression and posture. "Hey, are you ok?" Samirah nodded.

"Yeah, just had my strength zapped, that's all. I'll be fine once we get out of here. Any trouble?" She inquired making the Twi'lek smirk before she turned to the door and quickly unlocked the door. It opened up quietly and they stood in the door way, Mission smiling proudly.

"Any troubles? No one even knew we were here. You got the codes?" Samirah pulled it out from her belt and showed it to her with her own smile.

"Secured." She said grinning back before replacing them back in their spot. Mission punched the air above her head, filled with this giddy happiness.

"We did it!" She yelled as quietly as she could, careful not to draw attention. They weren't out of danger yet. "Alright, now to just get out of here as quickly and quietly as we came." Samirah nodded.

"I'll find a terminal and make sure the security is still inactive. We don't want any slip ups on the way out. If we can do this right, we can get out without them realizing what happened until we're out of here." She stated as Mission nodded, turning serious.

They slinked into the hallway, walking cautiously and sticking to the walls. The pain in Samirah's leg throbbed but she didn't have time to worry about it. They retraced their steps, darting into dark rooms when patrols walked by, oblivious to what had happened in the Governor's office. Samirah didn't have much rest back at their hideout due to Bastila's impatience. Add the stupid Governor's ability to use the Force and she was having the worst luck imaginable. At least when it came to her energy—she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out, but she knew she would hold on until she got Mission out of there.

Tea sounded really good about now.

They hurried down the hallway, T3 being thankfully quiet as they approached the reception hall. Samirah quickly moved to the terminal and began hacking it and bringing up the interface. She checked the alarms and then all the video footage, erasing any evidence that they were even there. As she typed away at the console, the sounds of footsteps echoed down the hall indicating the approach of another patrol. What, did the patrols increase within the last twenty minutes?

As they grew louder she typed faster, trying to finish up with the terminal and making sure that by time the Sith realized that something had happened, it would be too late to track them. As the patrol started to round the corner, Samirah ducked behind the counter and pulled Mission down with her. T3 stayed still behind the counter as Samirah slowly lifted a finger to her lips, signaling to the droid to stay quiet.

The patrol muttered to themselves as they passed by the desk, commenting on the missing receptionist before walking behind it and to the door behind the desk. Samirah and Mission pressed their backs into the desk as the guards kept walking on and they hoped they wouldn't turn around. Luckily they didn't as they rounded the next corner and were out of sight. Samirah let out a sigh as she grabbed Mission's hand and pulled her out of the desk and they hurried to the door.

They quietly opened it, peeking out to see if any guards had been stationed at the exit. No one stood at attention and Samirah couldn't stop the smile as they walked swiftly out and down the corridor in the quickly disappearing daylight. Men working on vehicles and shipments were too busy with their work to even notice to two girls and the droid who walked by casually so as not to draw attention. As they made it to the elevator, Samirah frowned when she didn't see a guard standing there at attention.

Where had he gone?

Mission glanced back at the base before looking at Samirah meekly.

"So… are we clear?" She asked. Samirah looked at her slightly puzzled before nodding her head slowly.

"Yeah, they shouldn't figure out who it was. It'll take more time to figure out that something happened. Why?" Mission shrugged with a grin as she pulled out a detonator from her pocket. She smiled at Samirah innocently making her roll her eyes. She must have installed it while Samirah was in the Governor's office. "Oh all right, it can't hurt us. They shouldn't be able to figure it out." She said smiling.

Mission grinned excitedly before pressing the red button. A loud boom was heard emitting from the Sith base, a shrieking alarm ringing in the far reaches of the base causing panic from the outside personnel. The alarm was ok as long as Samirah and Mission weren't inside to be caught. They wouldn't be able to track them down anyway, Samirah and Mission were good enough to keep the entire escapade secret while inside. Anyone who saw them didn't have a chance to shout for help—that they made sure of.

Mission smiled happily as she did her own small little dance by the elevator. Samirah crossed her arms and just shook her head with a small laugh escaping. When Mission was done, she started to go to the elevator but Samirah stopped her.

"Nuh-uh, I'll take it from here, Mish." Mission just frowned.

"Hey, what do you mean?"

"I'll deliver the codes to Canderous and go from there. I'll have my comlink so I'll keep in contact, but I think it's best if I go with him to Davik's estate. It'll be easier if I just have to watch out for my own skin—not that I'm saying you can't take care of yourself, Mission, but it's Davik we're talking about." She added when Mission started to protest. After a minute or two and Mission holding her breath, she finally sighed.

"Yeah… alright, I guess you have a point." She said dejectedly. She really wanted to go and Samirah couldn't blame her.

"Take T3-M4 with you and I'll notify you when everything's in place, ok?" She said smiling at her. Mission nodded slowly.

"Be safe, Sami. Drink some coffee or something too… you look beat." She added with a smirk, earning a playful shoulder punch from Samirah. Mission was right, but she wasn't about to let her know the extent of it.

"Alright, alright, enough with the jokes you master thief—go make sure Bastila hasn't killed anyone." She said in a playful tone and Mission just laughed as she backed up with a bounce.

"Ok, will do. See you soon, Sami." She said as she spun around and took off for their hideout in the apartments. Samirah waited until she could no longer see the small Twi'lek before she opened up the elevator and stepped inside, directing it to the Lower City.

Mission was right, she was beat, but she didn't have the time to be tired. She was halfway there. She was almost off this miserable planet. Some of the people here weren't that bad, but she wasn't one to stay in one spot for too long. She liked to be on the move. She liked exploring and she was so close to being back out there.

The descent down to the Lower City almost felt longer than the one in the Sith base, but she didn't care. She was almost there… she was so close now. The escape was on the tip of her fingers and she wasn't going to let it go that easily.

Carth was seated at one of the several tables in the Cantina. It wasn't the most pleasant of places but this was where Samirah was to meet the Mandalorian when she acquired the codes—if she acquired them. The Mandalorian himself had been seated not too far away, drinking yet another bottle of Ale before he simply stood up and walked away. Carth didn't know where he had gone and really wish that he did. He didn't trust him—Canderous Ordo, he called himself—a Merc for higher and he to happened stumble across one of the most skilled and most trusting people Carth had ever met.

Samirah Alda.

What luck.

The Mandalorian was their only way off this planet and he was really hoping he didn't screw them over. Mandalorians didn't have a good reputation as far as Carth was concerned. They were good at one thing—killing. Morals, rules… none of that applied to them, they didn't follow such things. The only thing that had any influence on them would be credits and the price had to be right. Carth wanted to make sure that when Samirah arrived, nothing 'unplanned' happened.

A hand on his shoulder startled him as he spun around just in time to see the face as the voice spoke.

"So the Soldier boy is sitting in the Cantina all by himself?" The husky voice of the Mandalorian was enough to make Carth frown. He didn't even want to think about the snarky smile on the Mercs face.

"I'm just waiting." Carth said, clipping his words. The Mandalorian smiled as he slid into the seat across from Carth, not even asking for permission as he signaled a waitress for some ale, his other bottle completely forgotten.

"So, she didn't take you on her little mission? Or did she send you here to make sure I wasn't setting you up?" He questioned lightly, but the hint of humor was tangled in with his words.

"What does it matter to you as long as you get the codes…" Carth responded, sipping Dalkash Ale as opposed to the stronger Tarisian Ale.

The waitress appeared with a bottle and a glass for Canderous, leaving both at the table for him. He nodded to her before pouring a glass, the smug look on his face still present as he began to drink his own beverage. Did alcohol have no effect on him or something?

"I get the impression you don't like me, soldier boy." He mused out loud, refilling his cup to the brim and drinking it again. How many of those has he had in the past few hours? Carth wondered before he grimaced, taking another sip of his own.

"My name is Carth, not _soldier boy—_and let's just get one thing straight while we're at it, I _don't _trust you. What's to stop you from betraying us the instant we hand you the codes?" He questioned making Canderous shrug.

"You don't know. There is no guarantee." He stated making Carth stare at him in shock. "But what other choice do you have? You and your friends want out of here just as much as I do. I can't acquire the codes, but you can. You don't have a ship, and I do." He said, looking pointedly at Carth.

Both men went quiet for a moment, left to drink their own beverages of choice, each lost in their own thoughts. Actually, the Mandalorian wasn't thinking of much other than keeping his glass full. Carth, on the other hand, had his mind racing with thoughts and questions. Most of them centered on Canderous and this whole plan riding on Samirah bringing him the codes and then trusting him to get them off world. Carth was skeptical but the Mandalorian had a point—what other options were there?

"Ah, so the guest of honor has arrived…" Canderous said quietly, pulling Carth from his own thoughts and looking where Canderous was.

At the entrance to the Cantina, Samirah walked in looking weary but still confident. She didn't let the weariness weigh her down as she stopped at the entrance, glancing around for the Mandalorian. Her hair was a mess, pieces falling loosely in every direction. Her clothes were splotched with… was that blood? Carth hoped it wasn't her own…she didn't need any more wounds to add to her collection. His eyes drifted to her leg where small cut could be seen and he frowned. Maybe he was too hopeful. From head to toe, she looked like a mess. When she found the Merc, a small smile rose on her face before falling when her eyes found Carth. Her face immediately turned to bewilderment as she slowly approached the table. Canderous' face turned into a grin as he glanced between the two before he looked at Carth.

"… Guess that answers my earlier question…" He remarked earning a glare from the pilot. Samirah grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the table as she hesitantly sat down, casting uneasy glances at Carth.

"Carth, what are you doing here?" She asked quietly, not that it mattered. Canderous leaned back in his chair sipping his Ale as he gave Carth an expectant look, ready for the answer.

"I wanted to make sure everything was alright—and by the way, you look like hell." He stated. The Mandalorian immediately started snickering before coughing as he set his glass down. Samirah looked at him in shock.

"_What?"_ She all but shouted at him. "Well hello to you too…" She finally mumbled, her cheeks growing red with embarrassment. She pulled her ponytail out before running her fingers through her hair and tying it back up.

She knew the small act probably didn't do anything to help her appearance but it made her feel a bit better. She tried to straighten her clothes before realizing the whole act was useless. She was a mess and there was nothing she could do about it right now. Canderous was still smiling when he looked at her, leaning forward to get the business started.

"I figured you'd be back. Neither one of us is getting off this planet unless we work together." He stated simply, shooting a look at Carth who ignored him. "Now, I know the Sith military base had a break in. I know it was you. I know you've got those departure codes I need." He said with a smirk. Samirah bit her lip.

"Well, they wouldn't know anything was missing if we didn't set off the explosives. Not my idea, mind you, but it was more of a pride thing on her part." Samirah said, smiling at the joy it brought Mission to cause them a little mayhem. Canderous just smiled when Carth's eyes went wide. Canderous was beginning to like this kid.

"You did _what?"_ He questioned and she rolled her eyes.

"I told you, it wasn't my idea but nevertheless, it happened. They won 't figure out who did it and if they do, we'll be long gone by then." She said, turning her gaze to the Mandalorian on her left. "I hope." She amended. He simply grinned, downing his glass of Ale.

"Well, what do you say? Do you want to join forces? We do that and I can get you inside Davik's base—and right to the Ebon Hawk. We can go right now." He said, holding his arms out wide in a welcoming gesture. Samirah nodded. She figured it would be an instant thing, that's why she sent Mission back to Bastila. She turned, giving Carth a frown.

"I guess you'll be sticking with me from here on out." She said it as a statement rather than a question to Carth. He just smirked as he directed his gaze at the Ale and then at Canderous.

"You know I don't like being left behind while you go on your adventures." She shook her head but a small smile was in place. She leaned back in her chair instantly regretting the act before sitting forward, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the table and looking to the Mandalorian again.

"Alright, we're in. I figure you have some plan to get us inside the estate, right?" Canderous nodded, putting his cup down so that he could explain his plan to get off this miserable planet. He didn't want to spend any more time here.

"Davik's always looking to recruit new talent. I'll tell him how you won that swoop race and mention that you're interested in working for the exchange. I'll say I brought you in so he could check you out. He'll have you stay at his estate for a couple of days while he runs some background checks on you—"Samirah automatically frowned and held a hand up to stop any comment she had. "It's standard procedure. We'll be out of there before he can get anything on you." He finished.

Samirah didn't think he would find much in a background check of her, if anything, it might help her case. Most of it was her explorative information and a list of her skills. She wasn't sure if she was listed as a recruit for the Republic or not since she was just an outside source.

Carth was nodding his head slowly as he thought about what he said. Carth couldn't help but… approve of it. It was solid and sounded legitimate enough. He was beginning to think that he had misjudged the Mandalorian. But only by a little bit.

"That's… not a bad plan. It might just work." He said out loud. Samirah slowly turned to look at him in amazement.

"Wow… you got Carth's approval." She said, slowly turning to Canderous with admiration. "He never agrees to anyone's plan. I'm starting to like you, sir." Canderous chuckled and Carth just frowned at her remark.

Well, it was a good plan, he thought. There weren't a whole lot of explosions or danger involved, like most of the plans Samirah usually became involved in. The only danger was that Davik would suspect something but why would he not want to trust the Mandalorian he hired? Again, the plan sounded solid. Canderous downed another glass before looking back at Samirah.

"Alright, while Davik's checking you out, we steal the Ebon Hawk and escape Taris." He said, standing from his chair and dropping a few credits on the table. Samirah and Carth followed suit as he took one last swig of his bottle and setting it down. "Come on—I've got an air speeder nearby to take us there now. The sooner we're off Taris the better." He stated with a little venom in his voice.

Apparently he had a strong dislike for the planet as well.

He glanced at Carth before coming to a conclusion.

"I guess the soldier boy will have to come with, huh?" When Carth nodded, Canderous signaled for him to come along, earning a triumphant smirk from Carth.

Samirah and Carth followed him out of the Cantina and down the walkway to his speeder. Carth was surprised that the Mandalorian was still holding up his end of the deal. It was slightly darker in the Lower City, possibly because the sun was disappearing slowly. They swiftly walked into one of the clearings where, as Canderous had said, an air speeder awaited them. It was red with silver streaks decorating the sides. A small glass windshield in the front and a back seat for Samirah and Carth to climb into. Canderous sat up front, a bunch of his gear already settled into the passenger seat.

Carth and Samirah glanced at one another before she slid into the back seat first, followed by him. As her back pressed against the back of the seat, she lurched forward as if the seat had stung her. Her face winced as she pulled her shoulders up, scrunching them together. Carth gave her a quizzical look before reaching out and tentatively touching her back. She made a small gasp before her eyes darted over to him.

"Sorry…" He spoke softly, but still puzzled. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt?" She reached over her shoulder touching the tender spot and flinching. The air speeder slowly lifted before taking off to their destination: Davik's Estate.

"It's not that bad… probably just bruising and tender because I haven't done anything for it yet." She said, giving him her best smile which only made him frown again.

"I thought that you said it was going to be easy?" he questioned, a deep set of lines forming on his forehead. She laughed softly, keeping her back from pressing against the seat.

"It was, for the most part. I just didn't expect the Governor of it all to be a Dark Jedi…." She said as Canderous looked back at her with a disbelieving stare. His expression was nothing compared to the blank and yet, still shocked look Carth was giving her.

"Kid, you could earn an awful lot of credits if you keep doing what you do." The Mandalorian said, a smirk present in his voice.

"No wonder you look like you've been through hell and back…" Carth muttered and she shot him a stern look.

"I _feel _like hell." She remarked a little irritated, looking back out her own window to avoid looking at either one of them. "Besides, you give me too much credit. He wasn't even a fully fledged Dark Jedi yet, he didn't have his lightsaber. I doubt I would have done as well with a lightsaber... would have cut through my sword, then me, like butter." She remarked quietly.

Then again, if his skills still didn't improve she may have been able to still take him down but not without bearing a few wounds of her own. Right now, the only thing she had to worry about was the cut on her leg and the intense bruising on her back. She was sure that nothing was broken but it was very uncomfortable.

Carth fell silent as the air speeder moved quickly through the Lower City. He kept tossing a few uneasy glances at her. At least she was alive, but she could look better, that was for sure. Some inner voice was telling him that his remark on her appearance… wasn't the best move ever. Her attitude confirmed what that little voice was hinting at.

_Way to go, Onasi… way to stay on her good side…_

There was only so much she was probably willing to deal with so whatever he said, he had to make it count. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, keeping his palm on his forehead a moment longer as he thought about his next words: A thing he rarely does with her. When he looked at her, her back was facing him as she had her arms wrapped around her like a freezing child. She was shivering, not from being cold, but from the tender spots on her back. He took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

"You did a good job. I doubt that I could have done as well as you. Hell, I probably would have alerted the whole damn place if I tampered with any of the terminals. You did well and... uh… I'm happy that… you're safe." He stammered, trying to make sure he sounded sincere and not condescending. The snort from the Mandalorian made him grimace.

Samirah slowly turned to look at him, completely taken by surprise at his… well, it sounded like _praise._ Something she never thought she'd receive from this man. When he lifted his head to catch her staring, he gave her a proud smile and nodded his approval. Her cheeks immediately flared up as she quickly looked away. Maybe it was just because she was tired that it sounded like praise, but she couldn't shake the small smile that appeared on her face at the compliment.

"Thanks… flyboy…" She muttered earning a small chuckle from Carth. It was the best he could do and since his apology didn't reach her ears, this would have to suffice for now. She deserved something for all of her hard work.

Canderous was busy rolling his eyes at the conversation. Of all the people he had to be stuck with, it was those two. He didn't understand their relationship—whether they were friends or close to being enemies, he didn't know. He only hoped they didn't do something to screw up the plans to get off Taris.

The rest of the ride was nothing but a peaceful silence, the only sound being the air speeder flying through the air ways. Samirah would ignore the pain on her back as she spoke with Davik. She wouldn't indicate any weakness to him, she would show him her strong face and the attitude he would want to see in a new recruit. She would be able to hold on until she got inside and into whatever room he gave them. The fatigue was subsiding as her mind raced with plans once they entered the estate. Adrenaline was slowly pumping through her veins as she anticipated whatever waited for them there.

She swore that if she found a single Dark Jedi inside, she was quitting. She was dropping her weapon, turning around and walking out of that estate. They could fight the cursed man with party tricks.

The down side to that… was that she knew she wouldn't quit. But she could pretend that she was just to make her feel better. If they did run into one, she'd be the one who'd have to fight him so she was okay with them taking their time.

Samirah frowned, staring out her window. She was really hoping everything went smoothly. Get in, get out. That feeling in the pit of her stomach was barely there… but it was there. It wasn't the same feeling but it was similar enough to bother her, making its presence known. She hoped she was wrong, but she also knew something bad was going to happen.

Worst part about it was not knowing what.

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**Ta-da! **

**I plan on having us off Taris with the next chapter! I'm so excited and am really grateful to all my readers! If you've reviewed, you have my eternal gratitude because I love hearing from you guys! Let me know how this chapter turned out and whatever else you'd like to say! Thanks for reading and I hope to update again soon! ^-^ **

**Much love goes out to you guys, much love! You keep me going strong!**

**-SilverShards-**


	14. Chapter 13: Requesting Payback

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or any of the memorable characters. That would be nice though.**

**This is quite possibly the longest chapter yet because I was bound and determined to fit the escape from Taris all into 1 Chapter. Did I do it? You'll have to read and find out my fellow readers! I hope this chapter is to your liking and without further ado, here is the chapter!**

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**Requesting Payback**

"_Revenge is a confession of pain."_

The air speeder slowed down to a crawl as a building game into view. Canderous maneuvered the speeder gracefully around buildings before finding a garage as he approached. The doors to a hangar opened up as he slowly decelerated the speeder and entered casually, coming to a stop. They stepped out, Canderous first so that the personnel saw his face first. He was greeted by the mechanics and he simply grunted in response as he waited for Carth and Samirah.

Carth stepped out first before waiting for Samirah, who came out fluidly, her face not betraying any pain she was in. Carth was definitely impressed. She looked strong, confident and determined. The look of a Merc who knew she was better than half the personnel on this rock—she'd dare say more. She was putting on the act, not only for Davik, but his men as well. If she didn't look strong to them, they wouldn't want Davik to waste his time on her and they'd relay that message. Samirah would either be rejected within the first few moments—or killed.

In the speeder, she had quickly wrapped her leg and taken the med pack Carth had offered. She tended to it quickly and somehow made it look more like a fashion choice then a bandage for a wound. You couldn't let on that you were wounded when trying to get a job offer, could you? Of course, not. She had also somehow managed to turn her appearance from weary and ruffled to look more like a Merc. Her messy hair was in a ponytail but her bangs fluffed and uneven making her pretty but in a ruthless kind of way and falling lightly over her eyes.

When the personnel took notice of her, they stared with wide eyes, following her every movement. Some went as far as to check her out and when her eyes met theirs, they immediately looked away, startled by her eyes. Even though Carth knew her, he was surprised to find how cold her eyes had turned and the harsh expression across her face—dominant even. She leaned on her left leg (since her right leg was the injured one) as her left hand rested on her hip, waiting for Canderous to finish talking with the lead Mechanic. When he was done, he gave Samirah a nod and they moved on.

Canderous led the way as Samirah followed, walking purposefully down the corridors. Carth followed behind, amazed at her almost instantaneous transformation. He didn't think that the kind hearted girl who had argued with him about helping people over and over again had this potential—yeah, she had a temper but it wasn't really her fault… it was kind of his. The heels of her boots clicked down the corridor and rang throughout the hall as they moved. The clicking was on purpose, to show that she liked to make an appearance, liked to make her presence known—the persona she was putting on at least did.

Canderous opened a door and walked in smoothly to find Davik hovering over a datapad and speaking quietly with a man that Samirah remembered from the Cantina—Calo Nord. What in the blazes was he doing here? Didn't he have some poor child to steal candy from? At their arrival, Davik looked up and a grin formed on his face as he caught sight of Canderous.

"There you are, Canderous. I was wondering where you had run off too. You tend to disappear quite a lot these days." Davik observed making Canderous shrug with a small smirk. Davik's eyes moved past him to Samirah and he examined her from afar, a curious expression surfacing.

"You know me, Davik. I don't like staying in one place for too long. I have to find ways to keep moving, keep some action going." Canderous responded casually. Davik nodded his eyes still on Samirah as he assessed her from afar.

"Yes, I know that all too well. And who's this?" He said, bringing the attention to Samirah. "You brought someone with you? Most Intriguing, if I do say so myself. You usually travel alone. "He placed the datapad down and slowly walking towards them, his eyes remaining on her. Carth started to fidget, happy he was in the back and not under inspection. Samirah remained calm, not flinching under his gaze, not fidgeting, not a rosy cheek in sight—Carth was again, impressed.

Calo looked her over before a smirk arose to his lips, slowly turning to look at Canderous. They both held each other's gaze, the bad blood between them so obvious, you wanted to ignore its existence. Calo folded his hands in front of him as his eyes flicked from Canderous to Samirah and back.

"It's not like you to take on partners, Canderous." He said slowly and almost in a taunt. "You're getting soft." Samirah looked slowly over at him, breaking her eye contact with Davik to look at the bounty hunter. Calo didn't pay her much mind as his face contorted into what could only be his version of a smirk.

Canderous kept his tone playful yet dangerous as he smiled at Calo.

"Watch yourself, Calo. You may be the newest Kath hound in the pack, but you aren't top dog yet." He said smoothly making Calo's face turn from a smirk in to a glare. Samirah couldn't erase the smile it brought to her face, earning a glare from Calo. She looked back to Davik who was frowning at them both.

"Enough! I won't have my top two men killing each other—that's not good business. I'm sure Canderous has an explanation as to why he's not working solo anymore." Davik opted as he gestured to Samirah, his eyes on Canderous.

Canderous remembered the plan and looked away from Calo, not willing to waste anymore of his time on the pathetic excuse for a bounty hunter. Canderous was sure, given the chance, he would be able to handle the runt. Unfortunately, the plan didn't have room for revenge or pride to get in the way. Even if it was more than pride for Canderous.

"This is a special case, Davik. I ran into someone the Exchange might want to recruit." He said, giving Samirah an appraising smile. "You may have heard something of her exploits already."A flash of recognition hit Davik as he grinned.

"Ah, yes—now I recognize your companion. The rider who won the big swoop race. Very impressive… as was your display in the rather _heated_ battle afterwards." He praised.

Samirah mentally grimaced at the idea of being so well known by a Crime Lord. It was completely against her tactics to be so widely known, especially _with_ a Crime Lord—was bad for the line of work she was in. She swallowed whatever unease it brought her as she smiled at him before tilting and bowing her head slowly to him in respect.

"I am pleased that you approve. It is good to be found in your presence, Mr. Kang. I am Samirah Alda." She said respectfully, her tone showing potential to Davik.

Something about her rang _Success_ to Davik and he couldn't help the smile it brought to him to think of her potential. Seeing her fight after the swoop race showed her talent in fighting and meeting her now, he could tell she was obedient. She respected power and received results when asked to get them. Her personality was exactly what Davik was searching for.

"You know, Canderous was right." He said, holding his hands behind his back. "The Exchange is always looking for new talent. You could have a bright future with our organization." He gestured to the Mandalorian, his eyes still on Samirah. "With a recommendation from Canderous—and a thorough background check—you could become part of the Exchange. Many would _kill _to prove themselves worthy of this honor."

Samirah turned her head slightly showing interest, but kept her eyes focused on him, a small smirk forming on her lips.

"Of course, Mr. Kang. You're offer… I find it very intriguing. I would be a fool not to accept such an honor." Davik smiled nodding his approval and waving off her formality

"Please, call me Davik." He assured her and she bowed her head yet again.

"As you wish… _Davik_." She amended earning herself a beaming small from him. He turned to Canderous, nodding happily to the Mandalorian.

"I approve, Canderous. Where _did_ you find such a wonderful prospect?" He mused. Calo glared, not only at Canderous but at Samirah too. He didn't like his thunder being stolen. He didn't like new arrivals either. Samirah just smiled politely at him, happy that she was making friends.

"Call it fate, Davik." He replied and Davik chuckled. Samirah liked how everything was going. The pieces seemed to all be falling into place. The moment the chance presented itself, they would be home free and off of Taris.

"What about him?" For a moment, Samirah wondered what he was talking about until she followed his gaze.

Carth. They hadn't given a reason for his presence and for a moment, Canderous seemed at a loss for an explanation so Samirah offered the first one that came to mind. She only prayed they followed along and didn't ask questions.

"He's my lackey, Davik. Think of him as my personnel assistant; a follower if you will." When Davik gave her a skeptical look, she played it off with a sweet smile, but still had a hard edge to it. "Please, Davik, must I? My lapdog. He keeps my glass full… and me happy. I will keep him in line, I always have." She said with a silky voice. "You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Davik." Davik grinned, understanding her before chuckling.

Samirah turned her hard gaze at Carth who was, for a moment, shocked that she was capable of such a thing. Realizing what she wanted from him, Carth clasped his hands in front of himself and bowed to Davik. He waved him away like you would wave a servant away when they brought you something you didn't want, a smile still on his face. Carth inwardly grimaced, careful not to show his expression to their present company.

"I see, I see. Very well, you may keep him. You certainly are welcomed to one of my slaves, but I understand when you find a favorite." He mused. Calo crossed his arms, staring at Carth a little longer than Carth would have appreciated but he didn't say anything or even return the stare. "Well, come with me—I will give you a tour of my operations. I'm certain you'll be most impressed." Davik said proudly to Samirah.

As he walked by Canderous fell into step behind him as did Samirah with fluid motions to begin the tour. Samirah felt bad having to degrade Carth like that, even if it was only verbally. She would apologize once they were out of earshot of Davik and Calo. They were lucky she was able to keep up such a pretense and that he believed them. She was sure he would have suspected something but after she batted a few eyelashes and smiled, he seemed like he didn't really care.

Were all guys like that? She wondered how well that would work against Carth or Canderous. It might be something she'd have to test one day.

The tour took about an hour and it was the best thing Davik could have done for Samirah. She soaked in every inch of the estate and when they finally set eyes on the _Ebon Hawk_, Samirah couldn't stop the admiring look she gave the ship. To her, it was like gold. This ship was getting her off planet. This ship was her ticket out of here. She felt bad for having to steal it from Davik but… he _was_ a Crime Lord. His kindness to them could simply be a pretense as well or simply the face he showed to his staff.

Besides, he probably had another one stowed away somewhere… what's one ship to a Crime Lord like Davik?

He brought them to the guest's quarter and showed them to their room, a content smile still in place. Samirah walked gracefully into the room, examining ever inch of it for a mere fraction of seconds before, in one fluid motion, she turned to meet Davik and bowed with just as much grace to him. Davik seemed to enjoy the attention and respect he was receiving from her because he smiled smugly at her. He felt empowered.

"You do me much honor, Mrs. Alda." He casually said as she stood straight, her form perfect yet delicate.

"_Ms. _Alda." She corrected, earning yet another grin from Davik.

"Of course, my mistake, Ms. Alda. These will be your accommodations. The slave quarters are just down the hall. If you need anything during your stay—food, a massage—feel free to call upon their services." He said without diverting his eyes from her even though she could tell he was skeptical of her own _servant_. "If all goes well with your background check, you will be invited to join the Exchange. I don't expect any trouble at all and will come to see you when it's all done." Samirah kept her smile focused on him.

"I do look forward to your next visit, Davik, as well as to working with you." She said in a smooth and dangerously sweet voice. Carth had to do a double take just to make sure it was Samirah who was talking. Not that he would have believed it if Canderous was talking in an alluring voice but… it would be more believable then Samirah doing it.

Davik just smiled as Calo snorted from where he leaned against the door. Davik shot him sharp look before looking gently back at her. Canderous was doing everything in his power not start snickering. He thought the kid was good, but he had never expected such a performance from her. He was intrigued to no extent.

"So do I. You will have to stay in these rooms as my guest for the next few days; I will not accept no for an answer. I can't have you disappearing before you can accept my offer. Feel free to visit the slave quarters at any time during you stay." His eyes finally flicked over to Carth, the one person he had yet to address or even acknowledge the entire time, directing his next words mostly at him.

"I must warn you that if you are found anywhere outside the guest wing during your stay—or if you bother my other guests—my security forces will deal with you most harshly. I greatly advise that you don't do anything reckless." He stated with finality. Carth nodded his head, resisting the urge to scowl.

Why was he the one suspected of being sneaky? That was all in Samirah's department. Just because he was the 'slave' didn't mean he was out to steal. Davik finally relaxed his stern gaze to look kindly at Samirah. Carth resisted another urge to gag. This entire situation was more than he bargained for.

"I will return once the investigation into your background is complete." He promised. "Until then, make yourself comfortable. Come, Calo, let us leave our guests in peace." He looked at Canderous and how relaxed he was against the wall. Canderous caught his eye and just smirked.

"I'm going to key her in on how things work around here. Get her up to speed." He said and Davik just nodded in approval with a grin still in place. Apparently he had no fears about Samirah entering their ranks so he had no suspicions either.

"Yes, that's a good idea. I'll leave you to do that. Come, Calo." He called again, leaving the room as the bounty hunter grudgingly followed. He shot Canderous a sneer before walking brusquely away. When the doors shut, Canderous relaxed.

"Okay, we're—"Samirah shot him a sharp look.

"Mr. Ordo." She interrupted, her pretense still up as she slowly began to move around the room.

Her hands were placed behind her back, her eyes scanning every inch of the room while Canderous scrunched up his forehead from confusion. Her eyes then focused on a potted plant as she slowly moved towards it, her eyes glancing at the rest of the room, a playful smile arising.

"I dare say you have an admirer. I do hope he doesn't cause us any problems." She spoke softly and smoothly, like she was patronizing the Mandalorian. "Maybe they're simply problems meant solely for you, but I fear I've been dragged along as well. I wish not to be swept up in your affairs. They shouldn't concern me."

Her voice lilting with each word and Carth swore she was a totally different person. Her voice was like velvet and each word just as menacing as they were sweet. Canderous looked at her puzzled before grimacing. He wasn't sure what she was getting at or even why she was still holding up that pretense. Carth seemed to have similar thoughts.

"Samirah—"Carth started but she shot him a look as well, from the far side of the room. Her eyes turning harsh and cold, holding more menace then her words.

"Do not speak unless spoken too, dog." She said harshly making Carth speechless. Did she just call him a dog? He watched in shock as she leaned against the table, fiddling with the potted plant. "Dogs must listen to their masters…" She said much softer and gentler. Canderous and Carth exchanged glances, both wondering if she was losing it. "I've learned that you must put a dog in their place before they become disobedient!" She shouted the last word, picking up the plant and hurling it at Carth.

He ducked as the plant smashed across the wall to his left. Even if he hadn't ducked, it would have missed him but that didn't make it any better. She'd thrown it too far to her right, the wall covered with dirt and the pot broken against the floor. Canderous jumped up to his feet in surprise looking at the plant before he and Carth's eyes met. Samirah walked brusquely to the plant and as she started to bend down, Carth grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her back to her feet, narrowing his eyes at her. He pressed her against the wall to keep her from moving or escaping his hold.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He nearly shouted, gripping her shoulder firmly and making her flinch. "Has it all gotten to your head? We're not here to impress Davik and we're certainly not here to join the Exchange, we're here to get off this backwater planet as soon as possible! Don't go acting like your someone better than us just because a Crime Lord thinks you're a hot commodity! Don't forget which side you're on!" He fumed. The idea of it all was infuriating.

What the hell was she thinking? She looked at him with an odd expression: Confusion, curiosity, astonishment and disbelief all wrapped up in one expression. You could almost say she was angry for his accusation but he was just telling her what he was seeing.

"She's smart. Smarter than I thought." Canderous commented. Carth looked at him before following his gaze to the potted plant. A spark was seen popping out of the dirt. Samirah used her foot to uncover a small device, stealthily crafted to be hidden in the base of the pot. With her foot, she stomped it out before looking at Carth with a slightly hurt expression.

"You're lucky I broke the recorder when I hurled it across the room. You would have revealed our entire plan to Davik. The camera was cracked but it couldn't see much through the dirt. This was the only device I could spot and probably all he had. Anymore and he risks detection." She stated coolly. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to let go of my shoulder…" She breathed and Carth immediately let go. She let out a shaky breath, moving to the side and sitting herself on one of the beds.

"Samirah, I—"He started but she cut him off.

"Most of the Crime Lords I've ever come across are borderline paranoid. Even if they fully trust you, they're not above bugging your room just for that small chance that you'll betray them. Even if its twenty-five years later and you've done just about everything you can to prove your allegiance, you can still come to find a small hidden camera or a bug in the decorations." She explained, not meeting Carth's eyes. Canderous was smirking, not really paying attention to the tense air between them.

"You have more potential than I originally thought. If I wasn't planning on leaving the Exchange then I would seriously consider recommending you. Hell, I'd probably ask you to be a partner in crime." He ginned earning a small laugh from her and an incredulous look.

"Believe me, Canderous, that's endearing but I really don't think the Exchange is quite my type of business." She countered and he just shrugged. Canderous didn't think the cause was completely lost. Carth shook his head, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Samirah winced from her back pains before rolling her shoulders and trying to get used to the bruising. They were going to annoy her for the next few days. Damn Jedi. Using the force—that was downright cheating. When she looked up at Carth and saw his guilty expression, she smiled gently at him.

"Hey, it's fine, ok? You couldn't have known there was bug. You were doing what you thought was right so I can't blame you for it. If I ever was seriously like that, I'd expect you to tell me or at the very least, shoot me. We'll just say that you were getting even for the _lapdog_ remark." She said with a grin and Canderous started snickering. "Sorry about that anyway, it was the best I could come up with that was potentially believable." She said thinking back to it.

"Potentially? You could have told Davik he was a Dark Lord of the Sith and he would have bowed down before him with the way you spoke to him. Didn't know you could act so _alluring._ That could come in handy." Canderous mused out loud and her cheeks immediately turned a bright shade of red.

How did she do that? Carth couldn't figure out how she could hold it together enough to not blush or flinch when she was in front of Davik with this deadly persona. Now that she was free of it, she was back to blushing and feeling embarrassed like a child again. Not that Carth was complaining, he just thought that it was amazing she could do that. She could really hold it together when she needed to.

"Please, Canderous, it was just an act to get us through. I really hope I don't have to do it again so let's not count on it." She said nervously and Canderous seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Carth was.

"Well, assuming there aren't any more bugs, we can continue as planned. We just need to figure out a way to get past the _Ebon Hawk's _security system and we can get the rest of your group. We do that and we can get off this planet." He stated happily. "No sense waiting around here. The sooner we get off Taris the better."

Samirah nodded her head before popping up off the bed and stretching her arms. Enough with the sweet talk, she was ready to grab a hold of that ship. She straightened her vest as she glanced at Canderous and motioned for him to follow. She pressed her hand against the door before slowly opening it, checking into the hallway. She slipped out into the hallway, holding the door open so that her two companions could walk out before she silently closed the door. She looked down both ends of the hallway and thought about her next step.

Down the hall was the slave quarters and going the other way brought her to the Throne room. From there, the different routes were divided up. It was the central point and that's where she needed to go. Her only thought was if her hacking skills were good enough to bypass the security system in time. Hacking a Crime Lords computer was tricky business especially if they were paranoid. Paranoid enough to have surveillance in every room no matter who it was—there was always that seed of doubt that his most trusted friend would turn on him at the drop of a hat.

Even with her sweet smiles, she was no exception to the rule.

They liked to cover their losses before they ever had a chance to happen—eliminate the threat. One occasion too many, Samirah had nearly paid for never checking for cameras. They were pure miracles when she escaped with her life, miracles that she praised each and every day.

Davik was definitely the paranoid type.

Samirah knew that kind of man all too well. She also knew the protocol. She glanced around, looking for any indication of surveillance—she needed to blot it out and do it before they went spelunking through the estate. She moved slowly, yet casually towards the slave quarters, Carth and Canderous following her curiously. They had no idea what she was up to. She was walking like she was a Merc again so they were careful not to say anything, unsure how she would respond.

She saw the camera as she started to enter the quarters. When she was out of its focus, she slid underneath it, pressing her back to the wall and looking directly up at it. She reached her hand smoothly up to the wires fiddling around. There wasn't anything that could shut down the entire grid but with this, it would look like they were on the way to the slave quarters when all the cameras _do _go out. It would cover their whereabouts. She fiddled with the wires, replacing this one with that one, careful not to screw it up. She furrowed her brow as she tried to focus and rework the camera. It would be easier if it was eye level but what person in their right mind would put a security camera at eye level?

Canderous and Carth exchanged a glance as they stood off to the side, waiting for her to finish up. After a moment, Samirah yanked away one of the wires and smiled happily before moving away. She brushed her hands together with a look of content over her face.

"The camera's been reworked. I still need to find a terminal though." She said quietly, replaying the layout of the estate.

There were a few sections of the estate Davik had not shown them, very cleverly cutting them out of the tour so that no one would notice or ask questions unless they were looking too closely. A clever plan on his part. Canderous knew more about the layout of the estate then she did seeing as how he worked for the exchange so she was hoping he would be able to chime in when needed. She turned around and moved brusquely down the hall, passing by their guest room and stopping at the door. She motioned for her two companions to stop moving before she opened the door and then closed it behind her.

Carth and Canderous exchanged yet another glance before looking at the door.

"Does she always do this? Disappear and leave you out of the loop?" Canderous commented, crossing his arms as he leaned on his back foot. Carth just nodded as his face remained neutral and focused on the door.

"All the time. Unfortunately, you get used to it. Not something I like, to be honest." Carth remarked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they stared at the empty door for several moments, waiting for her to reappear.

Several moments ticked by before the door popped open and Samirah leaned in to smile at them.

"Alright, gentleman, this way please." She gestured as they stepped into the room, casting cautious glances in every direction.

"What were you doing?" Carth asked skeptically. There were no guards in here and if there were, she killed them quick and dragged their bodies to—well, where could she drag them? There was no where to put them.

"Without a terminal to deactivate the cameras, I have to use conventional means and do it manually. Once I find a terminal, we can move freely without any worries." As she spoke she pointed out two well hidden cameras that she must have deactivated or broken—Carth couldn't tell. He was willing to bet the former of the two though.

"You deactivated them without being caught in the recording?" Canderous questioned, a curious but smug look in place and she nodded.

"I'm not called a Scout for nothing, Mr. Ordo. I'm chosen to do what I do because I can get it done and not be seen." She replied happily before moving off to the side and opening a door to their left.

The Throne room's name did it justice. It looked every bit the part of a throne room fit for a king. A sole chair was in the middle on a pedestal, more elaborately decorated and centered than the rest around the room. Davik really saw himself as a king, the ruler, the boss. He focused everything on himself and liked to make it known who he was. She wondered how long his empire would last before some other person came in and took over.

They always did.

As they hurried down the hallway and opened up the door, she was ecstatic to find a terminal in front of her. She stepped inside and immediately ducked and rolled, sensing it before the blaster shot hit the wall. She rolled behind a table as Carth and Canderous pulled out their weapons and began firing. Samirah cursed, staring at the terminal. She needed to cut the cameras before the video feed reached Davik if the gunfire didn't. She pulled her blaster out and stood up taking careful aim as their attention was focused on Carth and Canderous.

She aimed at the first of the three guards and quickly took him out. The other two noticed her and diverted their attention to her, giving Canderous and Carth a clean shot at their heads. Were these really Davik's guards? She quickly spun around and immediately began typing as fast as she could at the terminal. Her eyes scanning every line of information as she tried to break the sequence and enter the system. Carth and Canderous checked the bodies, the only sound being the tapping of the terminal coming from Samirah.

After several moments of uneasiness from her, she finally gained access and began to terminate each camera, feeding the system repeated images so that they didn't get suspicious. If all the cameras were just _out_, Davik would be skeptical and wouldn't simply assume a power failure or some other possible explanation: Not someone like him. For crying out loud, Calo Nord was like a puppy, following his every move and there to bark at any person getting to close to him. Davik would probably have Canderous guarding him if it weren't for the fact that he was a Mandalorian. Like he told Davik earlier: He didn't like staying in one spot and she didn't blame him.

Once she fixed the cameras she began trying to unlock the hangar doors. As each second ticked by, she became more and more frustrated. The numbers weren't matching. She couldn't get through the system. Davik must really love this flagship because the system required for this kind of security would take a fortune. Of all the luck in the galaxy…

"What's wrong?" Carth asked from beside her. He watched the terminal as she tried to bypass it but kept coming up short. He didn't understand half of what the screen was showing but he understood enough: It wasn't working.

"I can't get through… Davik really takes care of his ships. It's been a while since I've seen this kind of security… I'll need a code or more time. Since time isn't something we have, I'll need to find another means of access…" She pointed out, still typing away at the console. She flipped through all of the camera images, seeing if Davik—by any chance at all—had a camera in his room or something useful on the terminal.

Flipping though images, she found a curious camera simply labeled "_Guest" _room. She flicked to see what the last image had been and she gasped at the console. Canderous crossed the room and looked over her shoulder to see what had startled her. She and Carth exchanged looks of shock to find a man in a containment cell. He seemed to be in physical pain, undergoing some sort of torture as Torture Droids circled the room. She despised the very creation of Torture Droids and liked their usage even less.

"What did that idiot do…" Canderous said in a low voice as Samirah turned to look at him.

"You know him?" He questioned and he nodded.

"Yeah, that's Hudrow, the pilot for the _Ebon Hawk_. At least… he used to be…" He mumbled. "I don't know what he did, but if he's in there, Davik didn't like it." Samirah closed down the terminal.

"Well we can't just leave him there! We have to go free him." Canderous frowned at her, resting his weapon on his shoulder.

"No you listen here, we can't go and save every person we find in a pinch. Sooner or later, we're going to find ourselves in a pinch and I highly doubt anyone's going to want to take the risk of setting us free." He complained as he frowned at her.

"And let me remind you that we don't have a way of getting the _Ebon Hawk_ out of here yet. If we had a few hours then yeah, I might be able to hack the system. Again, time isn't exactly a leisure we can afford right now." She stated. "If he's the pilot, Davik must trust him enough with the codes, right?" She stated earning a deeper frown from the Merc.

"Yes." She smiled at him but his frown stayed in place. "But what's to stop Davik from changing to codes since Hudrow's apparently not 'trustworthy' any longer?" She just shrugged.

"Well, unless you have a better plan, this is what we have. If his codes don't work, we either find some that do or you'll have to just buy me enough time to hack the system." She explained sternly, not leaving anymore room for discussion as she walked back the way they came.

Canderous rolled his eyes as he followed after her, earning a chuckle from Carth.

"You'll get use to it…" He whispered to the Mandalorian who raised an eyebrow in question. "She usually gets her way." He amended.

"Maybe I made a bad choice…" Canderous grumbled as Carth smirked. Yeah, he had thought the same thing too—or at least something similar. Now look where they were. He would never have imagined being in Davik's estate as a 'guest' or stealing his flagship.

Life always had a surprise for you at every turn.

Samirah ran through the schematics, pinpointing the location of the _guest_ room as she crossed the Throne room. She found the correct door, pushing it open, her blaster ready as a Merc on patrol walked by. He caught a glimpse of them and before he could point his gun to shoot, a blast hit him in the chest and knocked him back against the wall before he slid down. Samirah turned around, realizing she hadn't been the one to fire her gun yet. Carth's blaster was pointed directly at the guard and he just smirked at her.

"You were too slow." He commented and she raised an eyebrow at him, her hands on her hip.

"Is that a _challenge_ Carth Onasi?" She asked in low yet smooth voice earning a chuckle from him.

"Maybe." He answered, walking past her and down the hall as they all followed behind.

Samirah looked at each door and before she could decide which one it was, Canderous passed by them both and walked to the far end of the room. He grimaced as he stared at the door, cracking his knuckles. Samirah and Carth walked up to his side staring at the door, both wondering the same thing.

"This is it." He said answering the unspoken question and Samirah didn't hesitate.

When the door wouldn't open, she immediately began hacking through it, the door popping open with ease and the two Droids turning at the disturbance. Immediately, Carth and Canderous took fire, drawing their attention as Samirah raced past the Droids avoiding shots. She found Hudrow gripping his skull as his face contorted in agony. His mouth opening like he wanted to scream out but not able to find the strength to do it. Samirah looked around for the console, finding it at the far end of the room.

She began toying with the console as a blaster shot hit the wall, barely missing the side of her face. She froze for half a second, shooting a quick glare at her companions before continuing to break the system. Canderous and Carth took down one Droid before they quickly worked to polish off the last one. It had been Carth whose bullet missed the Droid and nearly hit Samirah. It wasn't his fault, the blasted Droid moved just before the bullet could hit its mark.

Canderous fired a lucky shot that entered the main compartment and ricocheted around, destroying the interior of the Droid. As it dropped to the floor, Samirah had finished shutting the Torture Cage down. Hudrow fell to the floor, gasping out for air as Samirah hurried to his side and placed a hand on his back. He shivered and when he looked at her, his eyes were bloodshot and his face had paled a great deal with beads of sweat falling down the sides of his face.

"Th-Thank you…" He choked out, struggling to get to his feet as Samirah supported his weight. He staggered to the side but she caught him, keeping a firm hold on him.

"You have no idea what it was like in there… I don't know how much more I could have taken… before I went mad…" He spoke in a low, hoarse voice. His eyes were unfocused as he tried to get a clear head. He looked at Samirah as a slow but sad smile crossed his face.

"I couldn't leave you in there like that…" She said, suddenly feeling bad. She couldn't ask him for the codes, it would be insensitive. He had just gone through a lot of trauma and she didn't need to add to it.

"Hudrow, do you know the codes to disable the security system protecting the _Ebon Hawk_?" Canderous just flat-out asked, crossing his arms and looking at him with an expectant expression.

"Canderous!" Samirah scolded. He just shrugged at her, not understanding what he did wrong. She was going to ask him eventually right? Why wait, especially when time was of the essence. Hudrow just waved her off with a smile, despite how tired he must have been.

"No, no, he has a point. I do know them… I have to pay you back somehow and if you want the codes, I'll give them to you." He said a little breathless but he nodded his head. "Give me your datapad." He requested, holding his hand out. She quickly handed it to him as he entered the code and then handing it back.

"Is that all you can give us?" Canderous asked and Samirah swore she was going to hit him. Hudrow looked at him in surprise.

"What more could I give you? I was only the pilot of the _Ebon Hawk_, not Davik's personal assistant. I don't know."

"Oh come on, Hudrow, you know something." Canderous persisted and Samirah just looked at him.

"Canderous, he's—"

"I don't know anything!" Hudrow said a little louder looking away, not meeting Canderous' eyes. His body tensed and Samirah could feel the change as her arm still supported his back.

"Why did Davik put you in there?" He said, gesturing to the cage. "You had to do something that Davik _really_ didn't approve of. He was fond of you and wouldn't have done this to you for a minor offense." Canderous stated, his penetrating gaze following Hudrow and noting his every movement.

"Listen, I don't—"

"Don't lie to me." Canderous said coldly, not letting up or believing the story.

"Canderous, enough!" Samirah shouted at him, shooting him an angry glare. "He's been through enough and doesn't need your constant questioning! That's not why we're here!"

"He knows something and he's going to tell me!" Canderous shot back, his eyes never leaving Hudrow.

Hudrow met his gaze and waited several moments before letting out a tired sigh and rubbing his head, flinching. Samirah moved to check his head but he waved away her help. He was just frustrated and tired. He wanted to get out of there as quick as he possibly could. He didn't like lingering around, not when he was sure Davik was bound to find out about his release. The moment he did, Hudrow needed to be as far away as possible.

"You haven't been paid, have you?" Hudrow started as Canderous narrowed his eyes. "Of course you haven't." He spat a little angrily. "He's not paying a lot of people, though I think you're the first one to go and get yourself a partner to steal his ship in response."

"How did you know that's what we're after?" Carth blurted out before he could think it through. Hudrow shook his head.

"I'm not stupid. Canderous comes in with someone he considers his equal and asks for the codes—not really many options there, sunshine." He said sarcastically and Samirah pursed her lips to keep from laughing. Hudrow turned his attention back to Canderous, pulling from Samirah and assuring her that he was fine now.

"The money—Davik's trying to cut back on everyone's pay. He's not making the money he needs to keep everyone _happy. _You're one of the more expensive products and that's taking a bigger toll on his pocket then he would like. Because of the quarantine, he's not getting shipments in or out of Taris. He's losing money and when that happens, staff tend to get ideas. If they don't get paid, they don't stay loyal. Information has a tendency to leak out. He was working out a deal with the Sith to get the launch codes and it was getting costly. He plans on getting the launch codes and dropping his less obedient employees while he takes his favorite lackeys off Taris—the ones he's kept at his side." Hudrow said before gesturing at Canderous.

"You, my friend, are one of the less loyal. You're a Mandalorian and with your kind of reputation, Davik thought you would turn on him even with the money." He said, glancing to Samirah as if his point was proven. "I didn't like the idea when I found out. Davik was going to keep me as the pilot but I would have a few…_ restrictions_. I tried to fight it and he cut me out before I could do any damage to whatever order he had left here. He didn't want me revealing the plan. He was going to leave Taris and pretend that he didn't have any part in it! He was just going to throw it to the wind and—and let whatever happens, happen to it." Hudrow spat the words out. Canderous nodded slowly, grinning.

"Thanks, Hudrow…" He just waved off the Mandalorian, looking away. Samirah didn't know what to say… what could you say? Davik was worse than she thought. She looked at Canderous pointedly before he caught her eye and nodded.

"Thank you, Hudrow." Samirah echoed and he nodded before looking at all of them.

"I can I go now? I need to vacate the area before my escape reaches Davik's ears. I can't be found here when it does or I'm as good as dead." He stated a little frantically before Samirah nodded.

"Go, quick. Thank you for all of your help." She said softly and he returned her smile before he stood straight and hurried to the door. He wasn't wasting any time getting out of there. He didn't want part of any plan Canderous had ticking away in his mind. He knew that particular Mandalorian all too well.

"No need to thank me. I should thank you for my rescue…" He called over his shoulder as he hurried out the door and around the corner, disappearing down the halls.

Samirah watched the door a moment longer, wondering if he was going to be okay. He did just escape from a Torture Cage so he was doing pretty well under the circumstances. Canderous cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from the door.

"We have to codes, kid. Let's not linger any longer than we have too." Samirah nodded before turning to look at him fully. She lifted a finger and pressed it firmly against his chest, her eyes staring intently at him as she leaned close.

"Let's get one thing straight, Canderous. I know you have it out for Davik and Calo but they are not our priority. I don't agree with your _interrogation. _He was injured and not in any condition to answer your questions. While the information was useful, if you _ever_ go against me again, I'll show you the extent of my _capabilities._" She said coldly and he watched her with a neutral face.

"You're going to kill me?" He finally asked, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. She mirrored his expression.

"You wish, Mr. Ordo. I'm not one to be brutal, but if you do unnecessary things again, I'm afraid I will have to as well. I don't like mistreatment of people we're trying to help. If you'd give me the chance—I'll help you figure this all out. But you have to be willing to trust me and my chosen method." Her smile turned sweet as she took on a child-like expression. "Are we clear?" She said in a chipper tone making Canderous grimace.

Carth shut his mouth and kept it that way as Samirah and Canderous stared each other down. Carth was beginning to think that Samirah could be so sweet and caring—but could make enemies just the same. That caring heart of hers that would help any person in need could also make enemies for the very same reason. Canderous grunted in response, before looking away.

"Alright, kid." He sighed, chuckling. "You win this time." She smiled.

"Glad we understand." She spun around on one foot and quickly glided out of the room as Canderous and Carth followed after her. They walked closely as she led them back to the hangar, her mood lifting despite Canderous' little incident.

"So, is she always like that as well?" Canderous asked in a low voice and Carth chuckled.

"Well, I'll put it this way. She's never threatened to beat me to a pulp." He said, grinning and happy that he wasn't the only man here who was at odds with her. Canderous' face twitched into a grin.

"Huh, guess I'm lucky." Carth gave him an odd look. The way he said it made it seem like he really was lucky. The idea made Carth raise an eyebrow at him as he tried not to think of what was going through the Mandalorians head.

Without any warning, an explosion rocked the building and Samirah fell against the wall along with Carth and Canderous. Her face twisted into a wince from the impact, making her back throb. They froze as another explosion rocked them in the opposite direction. Samirah let loose a few choice words as she tried to stay upright and not across the floor. The explosions weren't directed at any certain spot of the building, they were sporadic. If Davik knew they were running around, she doubted he would destroy the entire building to get to them.

Not like this anyway.

"What the hell's happening?" Carth yelled and Samirah shook her head, not having an answer to give him.

"We need to get to the _Ebon Hawk_, now!" She cried and they agreed.

She pushed against the wall and took off at a sprint as the ceiling sprinkled debris across the floor. They sprinted across the throne room, stumbling and staggering around as everything became unsteady. A large piece of the ceiling fell in front of Samirah and she skidded to a stop before it crushed her. They darted around it and pulled open the malfunctioning door to a conference room that held the terminal she had hacked. She kept going and pulled open the next door, grunting as they struggled to pull it open. The impact had disabled the two doors making them a pain to try and open.

The door protested before opening with a screech and they struggled to get through. Samirah found the terminal leading to the hangar and wasn't surprised to find it still locked. She immediately pulled out her datapad and linked it up with the terminal. The link was immediately established as she started the unlocking process. The building kept shaking and she struggled to keep standing as the building started to fall apart. Another piece of the ceiling started to separate from its place and Carth grabbed Samirah by the arm and yanked her to him as the piece crumbled into the spot in front of the terminal.

Samirah stared at the spot a little miffed that it was interrupting them. The terminal turned green signaling that it had accepted the code as another explosion rocked the building, knocking Samirah back into Carth. He caught her around the waist, her cheeks turning red. His hold on her was secure and firm to keep her from falling. Carth hadn't realized what he had done until her back was against him and his arms were around her waist. For a moment they didn't move and Canderous raised an eyebrow at them.

Carth avoided his gaze as he slowly let her go as she pulled free, both of them blushing.

"Thanks…" She breathed, not waiting for a response as she quickly moved to grab her datapad and watched as the door opened, revealing the hangar. The _Ebon Hawk_ was in the middle, barely avoiding the blasts hailing from above.

Beyond the ship was the opened end of the hangar, revealing Taris and Samirah's heart stopped as she witnessed the destruction of the city. The blasts weren't just focused on Davik's estate—it was the entire city under attack. The hangar rumbled and she knew that they had to get out of there and get to the others. She desperately hoped that the apartment was still holding together. As she started for the ship, she froze as a familiar person was rushing across the hangar, shouting and pointing at different things.

"Come on, we need to go! Damn!" Davik shouted as he rushed to one end, typing away at a terminal before spinning around. "The Sith are bombing the whole planet!" He cried angrily and Samirah's eyes went wide.

The Sith? They were bombing the whole planet?

"I knew they'd turn on us sooner or later, the scheming—"He was cut short when his gaze crossed over Samirah, Canderous and Carth. "Ms. Alda…?" He asked curiously. She shrugged.

"Great minds think alike?" She offered as another blast made the building lurch and she had to catch herself against the wall again. When she looked up again, Calo had stepped up beside Davik, a smirk in place.

"They've come to steal the _Ebon Hawk_, Davik. Canderous led them here and he was helping them—I knew that Mandalorian couldn't be trusted. Their thieves." Davik's eyes went wide with horror.

"Thieves… in my hangar? In my estate? No, this will not do. Ms. Alda, you had potential. I had high hopes for your future!" He shook his head in disappointment. She couldn't help but shrug again.

"I hear that a lot…" She stated simply, her hand resting on the blaster pistol on her hip as a blast erupted off to her right. The blast made her turn her head as the wind blew through the hangar, ruffling her hair.

"So, you did all of this to get my precious ship? You think you could steal my ship for your get-away and leave me high and dry while the Sith turn the planet into dust? Sorry, but that ain't going to happen!" He shouted, shaking his fist at them angrily.

Samirah had the impression that winking and batting her eyelashes wouldn't get her what she wanted this time. Canderous stepped forward, a hard look covering his face.

"What about you, Davik? Leaving Taris while we're left to whatever hell you started here? You can't just run and think that you're home free." Canderous said, pulling his blaster rifle up and holding it against his chest.

Calo stepped forward as Davik narrowed his eyes.

"I guess that explains a lot… you found Hudrow… it explains how you got inside the hangar as well." Davik mumbled as another explosion rocked the hangar, everyone staggering under the force of the blast. Calo stumbled forward, his eyes focused intently on Canderous.

"I'll take care of this, Davik. I've been looking forward to this for a long time." He spoke and Samirah followed his gaze to see that he and Canderous were already in their own mind set. No one else mattered.

"Make it quick, Calo. The Sith mean business." Davik stammered as the ceiling was close to giving way. A crack originating from the center of the ceiling began to slowly branch out and climb down the wall to the floor. "If we don't get to our ships and find somewhere safe, the bombs they're dropping will kill us…" He expressed as the hangar shook again.

Calo just snorted, nodding his head.

"Understood, it shouldn't take long." Canderous just sneered at him as they were ready to finish whatever feud that had been going on between them.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, Calo." Was Canderous' remark before their battle commenced, everyone else around them no longer their concern.

Davik started to slowly make his way to the ship, hoping to get out of there. Samirah wasn't about to go through all of that trouble just for him to sneak off with it. She sprinted down the lengths of the hangar and tackled Davik before he could board the ship. Carth had started to follow after but didn't know which side to help. After a few moments of thought, he opted for helping Samirah. The Mandalorian could take care of himself and besides, he'd probably resent the help later.

As he approached, Samirah was battling with Davik on the floor. She was trying to hold him down as he struggled under her hold. She was having difficulty trying to pin him down against the floor. He wasn't giving her any room to fight him. He eventually pushed her off as he rolled out from under her. They both stood up, the entrance to the _Ebon Hawk_ the exact same distance from each one. Samirah's eyes caught sight of the crack as it slowly spread across the floor. She was willing to bet they had only a few minutes before this hangar fell to pieces.

That was if the Sith didn't get a direct hit on them. From the sounds she was hearing and the shockwaves that rippled under her feet every few seconds indicated how close they were.

"You would have done the exchange proud, Ms. Alda." Davik said, pulling out his blaster as Samirah pulled out her sword. "It's a shame you aren't trustworthy…"

"Me? Oh no, Davik, I think I would have been the least of your worries." She replied as a smile played at her lips. He wasn't amused as he took aim and fired. She dodged to the left before charging at him, her vibroblade in hand.

Carth wanted to take a shot but couldn't find an opening. He could end up shooting Samirah and that was something he didn't want to regret later. Samirah swung the blade as Davik was forced to be on the defense, blocking with his blaster. His attention was so focused on the _Ebon Hawk_ and escaping that Samirah landed a blow to his left arm and he cried out before focusing on her for a brief moment. She swung once more as he dodged the move and in that moment, he hit her across the face with the end of his blaster.

She stumbled back, falling against the floor and feeling the shockwave beneath her fingers. Her vibroblade fell free from her fingers, skittering across the surface. Davik hovered over her, his gun pointed at her ready to shoot. Another explosion erupted and he staggered to the side, giving her an opening. She swung her leg under the Crime Lord quickly, knocking his feeble body to the floor. Even if he was skilled, he was still old and his body could only take so much.

She immediately jumped up to overtake him when he leaned forward and held his blaster up and pointed at her. She stumbled to a stop as he smiled. He had her. At such close range, she couldn't avoid it. She winced and closed her eyes when she heard the shots. She was sure that he had pulled the trigger when she heard them ring through the hangar. When she looked up, Davik's eyes were wide before his body fell limply against the floor. She glanced over to see Carth holding his blaster pointed at the Crime Lord. He lowered his blaster, before looking at Samirah with a frown.

"It wouldn't have taken me so long if you would stop getting in the scope…" He said, a smile tugging at his lips. Samirah returned the smile before grabbing her blade and looking to see Canderous. An explosion rocked the hangar again making the crack increase and putting them in even more danger.

Canderous and Calo had exchanged and received blows from each side, no one wanting to give in. When Calo looked over to see Davik's corpse, he grimaced. His odds weren't looking good. The crack on the ceiling had spread across the hangar and anything could give way at any moment. Samirah knew they needed to get out of there and quick. Calo stepped back, retrieving something from his pocket as Canderous gave him a quizzical look.

"Where do you think you're going, Calo!" Canderous yelled at him, anger flaring up in his eyes. Calo just smirked as he held his hand out to reveal a detonator.

Damn.

"You may have me outnumbered and outgunned, but if I'm going down, I'm taking you all with me! This thermal detonator will blow us all to bits!" He yelled out, holding the detonator out for all to see. Canderous didn't move, his eyes narrowing at Calo.

"What do you think you're doing, Calo? This is between you and me. This is about your honor and mine."He stated loudly, his voice gruff from exhaustion, not that he would admit it. He would fight until his body gave up and his last breath escaped his lips—that's how Mandalorians fought.

Calo shook his head, not rising to the bait. The building shook again and the ceiling began to split. An explosion blasted hot air through the door, making Samirah shield her face from the intensity of the heat. The debris dusted across the floor of the hangar, the room creaking and shaking meaning there was no more time to waist.

"Canderous! We have to go!" She shouted, Calo shooting her a glare.

"No one's going anywhere, not so long as I have this detonator! You move an inch and you're dead! I'm going to sell you guys to the highest bidder—Maybe the Sith." He mused, Samirah's eyes flicking to the roof. That ceiling was seconds from caving in. If only there was a push… something to hurry that process so that they could run while there was still time.

She watched the ceiling intently as crumbs drifted down. It was a push away from giving way under all the pressure. It was positioned perfectly above the bounty hunter, like fate—or as Bastila would say, the Force—had willed it to happen. It just needed a kick, a small little shove to get things started before he blew them sky high. The ceiling rumbled before it miraculously gave way a fraction of a second before a blast erupted above it. The ceiling collapsed and Calo's head snapped up to witness the cause of his soon to be death.

The concrete crushed him as he screamed a blood curdling cry before it all became silent. The force of the blast threw everyone to the ground, Samirah falling on her back and smacking her head against the floor, letting loose a few choice words as she squeezed her eyes shut. She could suddenly feel, rather than hear, the cracking of the hangar floor as it began to give way. Her eyes flew open as she struggled to her feet, seeing Canderous and Carth doing the same.

"Get on the ship, now!" She screamed and Carth immediately ran at full speed up the ramp. He was their ticket out of there. He knew how to pilot ships and she was suddenly glad he had come along. Canderous looked at the rubble where Calo's body was. "Canderous!" She screamed.

He stared a moment longer, trying to figure out if Calo was really dead. If that was really the end of his rival. It seemed so small and minuscule compared to the different ways he imagined taking him out. It didn't fit. It didn't work. So then why did it happen? It was just so… anti-climatic!

"Canderous!" She screamed, her anger flaring as the ship started. "Get your Mandalorian butt on this ship now before I drag you on it and kill you myself! I will _not _allow you to die here, now move!"She yelled as he finally made his feet move and sprint towards the _Ebon Hawk_. He ran with a smirk on his face as he ascended up the ramp and she followed after, quickly retracting it.

"Carth, go!" She screamed into her communicator as the _Ebon Hawk_ lurched out of the hangar.

Samirah ran down the corridors, looking for the nose of the ship before she found the bridge, Carth seated in the pilot's chair. The Hangar began to give way, loosing whatever structure it had left as they barely made it out before the Hangar was lost. She stared out the window, her eyes wide in horror as the entire city began to fall under the blows hailing from space. The Sith were destroying the planet. Everything was falling to pieces as they eradicated its very existence.

Her eyes began to sting as her vision blurred slightly. When she rubbed her eyes, she found tears trying to fall down her cheeks and she tried to quickly brush them away. Why was she crying? Why was he chest clenching up in pain? She felt this unspeakable need to help them, to shield them from the people who were destroying their very lives. It was a feeling so strong that she never imagined she could feel that way. She had seen Crime Lords and thugs destroy lives and people to make a point or too erect revenge but she had never seen this, not something so brutal.

"You need to contact, Bastila! Make sure they're okay and tell them we're on our way!" Carth's voice broke through her inner turmoil and she nodded quickly, pulling out her communicator as Carth dodged blows and falling buildings.

"Bastila, are you there? Mission? Anyone!" She shouted, her voice breaking a few times before she cleared her throat. She couldn't focus on the city right now.

"Samirah! What in the blazes is going on?" Bastila's voice crackled through the communicator. "What did you do?" She accused and Samirah immediately frowned.

"I didn't do anything and unless you want to be a part of the Sith's redecorating plan, then you need to get outside now." She stated firmly.

"Do you think we would honestly stay inside a building as it fell to pieces?" Her condescending voice was all she needed. She cut the communicator off as she turned to see Carth approaching their apartment building.

At least, whatever was left of it.

"They're outside, waiting for us. They sound find to me." She stated sourly.

Carth nodded with a grin as he landed quickly, opening the loading ramp as he waited a few moments waiting for a certain sound. As he heard the quick footsteps across the metal floor of the ship, he took that as a sign that everyone was on board and closed the ramp. He quickly lifted off the ground, narrowly avoiding a blast from the left that rocked the ship. Samirah stumbled, grasping the back of the co-pilots seat. Carth maneuvered the ship to avoid any falling debris from buildings as he directed the _Ebon Hawk_ up towards the sky.

As expected, Bastila bursted through the door and seated herself in the co-pilots seat as Samirah held on to the back for dear life. She began assisting Carth as they departed from the world, Samirah's eyes still focused on buildings. As another one fell, her stomach fell with it, her heart feeling torn and she suddenly felt this overwhelming presence and need to stop this.

"We have to go back." She stated, her voice barely audible, but reaching Bastila's ears. She spun, staring at Samirah like she was insane.

"We can't go back, there's nothing to go back too!" Samirah shook her head.

"No, we have to go back! What about Gadon, what about Zelka and Hudrow—there are people here that we have to help! We can't just leave them!" Samirah cried as her body felt another wave of grief. Her body shivered and it was like she went cold. Her gut had this feeling of pain and loss that was unbearable.

They were dying and she could feel it.

Carth looked at her from the corner of his eyes, seeing her complexion paling and tears pouring down her cheeks but she wasn't crying. For a moment, he was startled at her sudden change in tone and the loss of composure. No matter how angry or hurt she had been, he had never seen her cry or shed a tear. She was falling apart and this wasn't the best of times.

"Samirah." He spoke loud and sternly, focusing on his console but knowing that she had turned to look at him. "We have to get out of here. I wish we could do something but it's too late to do anything. I need you to stay together." He commanded and when he glanced at her, she was _slowly_ nodding her head with a vacant expression.

"Samirah, I need you to plan the coordinates for Dantooine." Bastila interjected. Samirah nodded again and spun around, plotting the course Bastila had requested, her fingers fumbling at the console. She was antsy and couldn't stop shaking but she finally managed to get the course plotted.

She needed to pull herself together. She couldn't do anything for the planet if she died trying to escape or saving people who were either in hiding or… dead. These people didn't deserve this and she was sure that she would find a way to make things right. That was a promise she would fulfill. Just like the promise she made to revenge Trask, she would have revenge against Taris. They weren't going to be empty promises – She never made a promise she didn't keep.

She spun around, watching as the _Ebon Hawk_ reached space, leaving Taris behind as nothing but pieces of rock and rubble. Carth entered the launch codes to avoid being blasted into bits along with the rest of Taris while Samirah's eyes caught sight of the Sith fleet hovering above Taris. The very sight of them brought shivers down her spine as she felt a hatred for their very existence. An alarm started to sound from the console in front of Carth and his face scrunched up into a scowl.

"We have incoming fighters… the Sith." He practically spat the words and Bastila shook her head in frustration before turning to Samirah.

"We don't have the hyperspace coordinates punched in; we need you to hold them off! Get to the gun turrets and fast!" Samirah looked at her skeptically.

"Bastila, I—"

"Now!" Bastila interrupted as she kept her focus on the ship and getting them into hyperspace. Right now, that was her priority.

Samirah sighed heavily before dashing down the corridor. She rounded the corner and jetted past Canderous, nearly knocking him over as she found the ladder leading to the gun turrets. She quickly climbed up into the small little dome and once she reached the top, she placed a hand on each side of the floor to hoist her completely up and inside. She climbed into the seat and swiveled around, placing her hands tentatively on the controls.

She looked up just in time to see a star fighter zoom by, instinctively making her duck her head. She sat up straight and grasped the controls, scanning the area for the fighters. It went really quiet for several moments before they slowly appeared and began firing at the _Ebon Hawk_. The shot pelted the ship making Samirah wince before pulled the trigger on the turret. A few shots were released but they didn't hit their target. Well, if she had a target.

She'd never used a gun turret before.

What was she supposed to do? She tried to aim but it was completely off as another barrage of bullets hit the hull of the ship. The ship bounced under the impact and she let loose a few choice words as she fired off a few shots again at random hoping to scare them off or make a lucky shot.

"Kid, what are you doing?" She spun around in the chair as Canderous frowned at her. With her in the gun turret, his whole body didn't fit, so all she saw was from his chest up. His arms crossed and leaning on the floor as he shook his head. "You have no idea what you're doing do you?" He clarified and she nodded quickly.

"I've never worked a gun turret, I never had a reason too!" Another barrage of bullets hit the ship and she flinched from the impact. Canderous quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from the seat. He maneuvered her down the ladder quickly, setting her on her feet as he climbed up and took charge.

The sounds of the turret being fired comforted her as she slid down the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. Now she was really happy she hadn't left him back at Davik's hangar. She rubbed her eyes before looking at the top of the ladder, waiting until he had finished. Several moments passed consisting of nothing more but turret blasts and ships exploding before the _Ebon Hawk_ lurched forward, causing her to tumble across the floor.

They had entered hyperspace.

She was still sprawled across the floor when the Mandalorian climbed down the ladder, shooting her a perplexed look. He slowly approached her, squatting down in front of her with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Slacking on the job a bit, aren't we?" He said trying to hide the smug look on his face. She slowly got up from the floor, standing up as he mirrored her movements.

"Oh ha-ha, well I'm not perfect. You can't expect me to do everything around here now can you?" She said with a slight smile, dusting herself off as his grin widened.

"No, but you certainly do try, Kid." He crossed his arms, a mischievous grin taking over and she suddenly felt like that was a bad thing. "And what was it that you said earlier? That if I didn't get on the ship, you would drag me aboard and kill me yourself?" He said, looking over her head with a bemused smile.

"Hey, you were debating whether or not to take his body as a trophy." Canderous looked at her half smiling and half in bewilderment.

"Trophy? You think I'd drag his sorry carcass onto the ship?" He questioned earning a shrug from Samirah. He just shook his head slowly. "I just think he went down too easily… a death that didn't quite fit him. I expected something a little more… _eye catching._ If he had set off that detonator, it would still have been a death unbefitting of a man like Calo. His death should be something that demanded attention. I always imagined him dying by my hand in battle of honor or by one of his many enemies.

"There's an old saying: _Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer_. Calo's enemies _were_ his friends. That's how he liked to live. I was just a rival for a spot by Davik's side and a name that rivaled his. No one knew who to be more afraid of. He wanted that fixed. I just expected a little more from someone as ruthless and stubborn like him." Canderous explained with a look on his face that reminded Samirah oddly of something like _admiration_.

Suddenly, it was like Samirah had a small glimpse into the working mind of the Mandalorian. Even though Calo was his enemy, Canderous treated him almost like an equal—expected that much from him, at least. He wouldn't get drinks with the guy, but he respected that he was true to his work, true to his hunt. Canderous could value him, but he didn't have to like him.

"I think I… understand…" Samirah replied thoughtfully, looking off to the side as she pondered a bit more. Canderous grunted in response.

"I don't expect you too, kid. Just work on your turret skills and I think we'll be just fine." He grinned as he walked past her, patting her on the shoulder briefly before continuing on his way. Samirah turned slightly to follow his movements until he was no longer in her sight.

She crossed her arms, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes for a moment. She shuddered as she replayed the events back on Taris—each building crumbling from the impact of the attack. Why now? Why did they attack the planet then while all of their men were still there? Plenty of good soldiers under their command, perishing along with the rest of the inhabitants. Why not evacuate them? Why not warn them?

Sure, Mission blew up their base but if they had gotten some sort of message revealing the plan to destroy Taris, they would have been in the middle of leaving. Were they trying not to start a scare? Would it matter if they were going to destroy the planet anyway? It was a reckless thing to do and made no sense. What would make the Sith want to not only kill the inhabitants of Taris, but their very own soldiers? What did they want to destroy? What was worth the destruction of an entire planet?

Then it all clicked into place. There was one thing that wasn't there before. One factor that the Sith were after and when they couldn't get their hands on it, they decided they would try to destroy it.

They were after Bastila.

They wanted to capture her and when they couldn't find her, they didn't want to risk her escaping. If they couldn't have her on their side, they would destroy millions of lives to destroy hers. They would easily win the war with her on their side but if they couldn't have her, they wouldn't let her live to make a difference in the war. If they had begun the attack any sooner… they would have gotten their wish.

They barely made it out with their lives and now, her resolve to get even with them was much stronger now. She pushed herself off the wall and began to walk down the corridors of the ship, not really looking for anything in particular. She found Zaalbar and T3-M4 in the main room of the ship, Zaalbar already figuring out how to work the food synthesizer and T3 had powered down to rest. She kept walking, smiling at them as she continued down the corridors, following her gut feeling.

As she paused in front of one of the rooms, she realized there was something she was looking for. She smiled sadly at the door before she pushed it open and quietly stepped inside. It was one of the two sets of rooms and she presumed this side to be the girl's side because someone had already preoccupied it. Mission was curled up in a ball off to the far corner of the room. Her arms were wrapped securely around her legs, her eyes vacant as she stared at no particular spot.

Samirah crossed the room and just sat down beside her, pulling her legs in and holding her knees to her chest. From the looks of it, Mission was close to tears but was having trouble letting them fall. Her body shook as she slowly turned her head to look at Samirah. Mission just shook her head slowly.

"It can't be… gone." Her voice broke on the last word. "It was my home… and now… now its…" She had trouble finishing the sentence as her breathing became haggard before she finally let a few tears loose.

Samirah wrapped her arms securely around the Twi'lek as she cried silently. Mission accepted the small gesture of comfort, no one saying anything else for a good deal of time. It was a comfortable silence as Mission let the grief roll over her and taking its toll. Samirah couldn't imagine what she was feeling. She hadn't had a real home in a very long time. Traveling like she did, it didn't seem practicable to make a planet your home. She wished she had some wise words of wisdom to tell her but at times like these, silence was sometimes the next best thing.

When Missions breathing slowed down, the shaking and ragged breathing turning to shallow breaths. Samirah carefully looked to find that Mission had cried herself to sleep. It was probably for the best. If she slept, it would help her to cope with the grief a bit better. Somehow sleep always made things better. Instead of picking her up and settling her into one of the beds, Samirah stayed where she was beside her.

She laid her head on top of Mission's, her arms still wrapped around her. She would just stay like that for few moments more. She wasn't ready to let go of the Twi'lek whom she had grown so fond of. After a few more moments, she would place the girl in bed and wrap her up in a blanket so she could rest but right now, Samirah couldn't bring herself to let go.

As the few tears streamed down her own face, she slowly let through the few bits of uneasiness she felt. Her stomach still felt like it was doing summersaults all over again and she wanted to stay in this room a bit longer before meeting with the rest of the crew. She needed this small outlet. She didn't know what to expect next but she wanted this small moment to herself with Mission before she had to face it. Bastila had told her to set the coordinates for Dantooine. Samirah figured it was just so Bastila could go to the Council and explain the event to them. Her gut was telling her there was more to it than meets the eye though.

Surprise, surprise.

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**Ta-da! We're off of Taris! Its a dream come true! I never thought we'd make it this far or that you guys would continue to support me so pat yourselves on the back for me- scratch that, give yourselve a hug while your at it! You guys deserve the credit for this story! ^-^ Its a long chapter but I should have another chapter up soon anyway. It just depends when I finish it and after I proof read it. Thanks again guys and be sure to let me know what you think. I love to hear from you!**

**Much love to you guys and kudos as well! Keep going me going strong!**

**-SilverShards-**


	15. Chapter 14: A Breath of Protection

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Disclaimer: I own not- You know what, you guys know this already lol There's no way i'm secretly George Lucas... or maybe I am O.o

**Okay, so I cannot apologize enough for taking so long to update! I could list my excuse but I'm sure you don't want to hear them so i'll just express my sincerest apologies and hope that I can earn your forgiveness. No riots or pitchforks or torches please lol that would be a very bad thing lol. Well, thank you so much for sticking around to read this. If it makes you feel any better, it is now 2:30 in the morning for me and I was determined to get this chapter finished and proof read so here it is! I hope its to your liking so enjoy! ^-^**

**Edit: Sorry for the Re-update for those of you who have this on Story Alert. It was messing with the format of my story again lol sorry if this is bothering you...**

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A Breath of Protection

_"Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety." _

Carth wandered around the ship, wondering where Samirah had gone. He wanted to make sure she was alright since she had seemed a little shaken up at the bridge. He also wanted to commend her on a job well done with the Sith Fighters that had been tailing them. At first he had been really worried when it looked like she had no idea what she was doing. Right when he had reached for the comm to ask her what she was waiting for, she immediately took out a fighter and was obliterating them. She almost seemed a little aggressive but Carth wasn't going to complain. She got the job done just like she always did. Now, he just wanted to make sure she was ok.

He looked in every room on his way through the _Ebon Hawk_ trying to figure out where she had gone. He'd already passed by the gun turret and frowned to find she wasn't in there. He continued to walk down the corridors until he walked in on Canderous fiddling with the swoop bike. He barely spared Carth a glance as he walked in, glancing around and frowning when he didn't find her here either.

"Something I can help you with, soldier boy?" Canderous mused making Carth frown. He decided against trying to correct the Mandalorian. He would probably keep addressing him as _soldier boy _anyway so no point in wasting breath.

"No, not really. I was looking for Samirah." Canderous bobbed his head with a grin.

"She didn't come see you?" He asked, pausing briefly to look at Carth.

"Would I be looking for her if she did?" Carth replied sourly. He didn't like dealing with the Mandalorian. He'd thought that after the escape from Davik's estate, the Mandalorian would be easier to deal with. He thought that they had come to some mutual arrangement. Apparently not.

Canderous snorted at the sarcastic remark, returning his attention back to the swoop bike as he tried to boost the speed, maybe make the prototype accelerator more... stable. It was just busy work, something to do while he accompanied these Republic people to where ever the hell they were going. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay or go off to do his own thing. Samirah was quite the fighter, a little too soft hearted for the dirty jobs, but he liked her all the same. She wasn't afraid of Canderous one bit and that intrigued him. Most people were afraid of the name alone- she wasn't. He wanted to know how much she could grow.

"Last time I saw her, she was at the gun turret. I haven't seen the kid since, though. " He replied nonchalantly. "She might be resting about now, she seemed worn out earlier. Can't blame the kid, she works hard. Exceeded my expectations, that's for sure." Carth half frowned at him, not needing to be told how hard she worked.

"I know that." He stated a little perturbed at the Mandalorian. He spun around, walking briskly away not wanting to waste any more time with him.

Canderous just smirked at his abruptness, not sparing a glance in the pilots direction. He didn't understand why he was so concerned. Samirah was a big girl, she could take care of herself. If all she needed was some sleep, then all was right with the world. She could handle herself and that also meant that she was capable of dealing with stress. He didn't understand the soldier boys need to protect her. She was doing fine as she was, without any protection.

Well... her gun turret skills could use a little tune-up. The Mandalorian smiled to himself as he returned his focus to the swoop bike. It was in dire need of a tune-up, that was for sure.

Canderous was right about one thing, Carth thought- she had to be tired. He walked along the hall, his steps echoing with a metal sound as his shoes clinked against the floor. Carth wasn't sure what he was going to say when he found her. What if she was still having a break down? He didn't think she could have a break down like the one she had in the cockpit. Usually she kept herself so composed except for the occasional blush and loss for words. It was unlike her to make unreasonable requests- ok, maybe she could be unreasonable but she never made desperate requests like that.

Carth stuffed his hands in his pockets as he came to a stop in front of the door he presumed to be the girls side. He wasn't sure how to proceed. Did he knock? What if she was asleep? Should he whisper quietly? Now that he was standing in front of the door, he didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't want to upset her or make her angry, but to see if she had calmed down. He finally decided that he wanted to see how she was doing one way or another. If she got angry, well then she got angry but at least he would have some peace of mind.

He slowly opened the door, peeking in to see if she was even in the room. For a moment, he just blinked in surprise as he stepped inside, staring curiously at the two. Mission was leaning against Samirah, her head resting on her shoulder. Samirah in turn, had her head resting against Mission's as they both slept quietly. Her brunette hair was free of the ponytail, falling in her face and obscuring his few of most of her features. Their backs against the wall and huddled together like little children. Carth _still _could not get over the fact that Samirah could be so childlike.

She was a puzzle he didn't think he could solve.

He wondered if he should move them to a bed or simply drape a blanket over them. He didn't want to risk waking one of them but he knew that they probably weren't in the most comfortable position either. He decided to just drape a blanket lightly over them so they didn't catch a cold. He pulled a blanket off one of the beds and began to wrap it around them so they'd stay warm. As he knelt down beside them, Samirah's head whipped up in shock, her eyes surprised and yet still heavy from exhaustion. He noted the smudges of dirt and dust covering her face, unable to stop the small smile forming on his own.

"Carth..." Her voice was still groggy from sleep. "What... What are you doing?" She looked around, still half asleep before looking back at Carth curiously.

"_Shhhh, It's ok. I'm just moving you guys to bed_..." He whispered, making her look to see who the other person was. She looked at Mission and it was like she suddenly woke up, remembering why she was there in the first place.

"Oh god... Mission..." She said the name softly and sympathetically. She wrapped her arms around the Twi'lek, kissing her forehead and stroking the side of her head. "_This shouldn't have happened to her..." _She whispered back, her voice still tired.

"_Let me move her to a bed." _Carth said quietly before he moved to the other side of Mission, sliding his arms under her and holding her in a cradle.

When he had a secure hold on her, he gently moved her over to one of the beds and laid her down carefully. He pulled a blanket up and over her shoulders as she snuggled into the pillow before her body fell motionless indicating that she was fast asleep again. Streaks along her cheeks being the only indication that she had been crying recently and Carth couldn't blame her. He understood too well what it was like to lose a home. He knew that feeling of helplessness and loss when everything you knew and loved was gone. That moment when you've passed any chance you had to stop it from happening.

Carth dragged his eyes to look at Samirah as she shivered on the floor. Her arms were wrapped securely around herself but if wasn't because she was cold. The blanket was still half covering her but she made no move to cover herself completely. Her drowsy eyes were still focused on Mission and she looked like she was on the brink of tears. Carth sat down beside her, sliding down against the wall before he pulled the sheet up to her shoulders.

"I should have been able to do something..." She said quietly.

"And what would you have done? Samirah, I was there and you did everything that you possibly could have." Carth reassured her but she just shook her head.

"It wasn't enough...by the Four Moons, Devron Uhdea was still there. Plenty of good Republic soldiers were still healing down there. Carth, I should have been able to do more! Moved quicker, done more, seen it coming at the Sith Base- How could I not stop this?" She spoke in a low but distraught voice.

"It wasn't something you could stop. No one could have done anything to prevent that. Least of all, you. Mission won't blame you, she's a smart kid. It'll be hard on her, but she won't think differently of you." Samirah's eyes stared blankly at her motionless form, her arms wrapping even tighter around her waist. It was like trying to hold herself together.

"You don't understand Carth... It was like losing a piece of me... I could almost _hear_ each terrifying scream for help... they wanted me to help them. They wanted me to save them. It was this pain in my chest that I never even knew I could feel..." When she spoke, her eyes weren't watching the room, she wasn't even there. She was back at that moment when she felt it all hit her like a battering ram.

At first, she thought she was just being over emotional about the loss of the planet but even when she was too late to save someone, she never felt a wave of _guilt_ like this. Yes, she felt horrible, useless and felt the loss down to the pit of her stomach but this was something entirely different. It was ten times stronger. She wasn't sure if she even heard voices or if it was just the _feeling_ that had overwhelmed her. That's when she started making demands that they turn around even though she knew her efforts were all for not. She was acting out of fear, guilt, exhaustion and the notion that she could save everyone. The exhaustion was taking a bigger toll on her than before though. She pulled a hand up to the side of her head, her fingers laying gently on her forehead as she rested her face in the palm of her hand.

Carth watched her unravel and couldn't help himself. He laid an arm over her shoulder, letting her relax and trying to keep her from breaking down into tears again. He wasn't so sure he could handle that. She accepted his gesture as she leaned into him, dropping her hand from her face which surprised Carth. He thought she was too shy and stubborn to accept a gesture of comfort. He didn't know what type of pain she was feeling, not exactly, but he was sure he could get a rough estimate of what kind of feeling it was.

They sat like that for a while, just in a quiet environment, nether one saying anything. Every now and then she would take an unsteady breath, her body quivering each time. Crying without making a sound and without shedding a tear. He didn't know if that was by choice or just how she was handling it that moment. He wished there was more he could do for her and Mission but by being there for them, that seemed like the next best thing for now. Carth waited a moment, hoping that she would calm down and that she would breathe easy again. As time ticked by, her breathing finally became relaxed and slow making him smile. She wasn't hiccupping or sniveling so maybe that was a good sign?

"Better?" When she didn't respond, he leaned forward to look at her face and chuckled to himself.

He wasn't sure when, but at some point, she had fallen asleep amidst her inner turmoil. She was without a doubt, a child at heart. He shook his head, a big grin in place before he slowly started to move. He placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling as he moved from his sitting position to kneeling in front of her. Her head bobbed once before her eyes flew open for a moment and then slowly closing again, too tired to try and fight it. He kept smiling to himself as he pulled her into a cradle, her head resting against his chest again. He moved carefully, trying his best not to wake her up as he placed her in bed, yet again.

He was making a habit of tucking the young scout in bed. It was these small moments that made him realize how vulnerable she was even though she was probably an army of one. A force to be reckoned with. These miniscule moments where he was reminded that she was everything but invincible. He pulled the sheets up over her shoulder as she moved her head about until she felt comfortable. Her face was contorted into what could only be pain and sadness. An expression he really wished she'd let go of.

He watched her a moment longer before slowly dismissing himself from the room, walking away with his hands stuffed in his pockets again. He had accomplished his small mission. At least now, she would be able to get some rest before they reached Dantooine. It was a good distance away and she needed the sleep more than anyone else in their crew. She was indeed, an incredible woman. A lot of fire behind that heartfelt exterior, but definitely a marvel to behold. He traveled to the other side of the _Ebon Hawk,_ locating the men's quarters. He pulled off his boots and unzipped his jacket, folding it neatly and putting it away. He climbed into one of the cots, letting out a sigh of content as he leaned back into the bed and resting against the pillow.

Yeah, he was tired. Not as tired as Samirah, but tired all the same. He was going to enjoy his first actual night of sleep. Even though Samirah had integrated a security system, he was still skeptical of sleep. He had to stay alert, he had to keep his guard up. He just didn't feel safe on Taris, no matter the place or safety precautions taken. Watching that planet be destroyed was hard to watch and even harder to simply just leave. It took every ounce of his being to not listen to Samirah's demands to turn around.

It took even more strength to tell her that there was no hope to save them.

He stretched his arms, hearing the satisfying crack of his joints as he let his body unwind and relax into the comfort of the cot. He let his exhaustion roll over him as he slowly drifted away to sleep. He needed to sleep and he wasn't going to get any thinking back on Taris. His mind shut down as he was pulled away into slumber, resting before their arrival to Dantooine.

* * *

Samirah rolled over, yawning as she blinked her eyes open. Her fingers curled around the edges of the blanket as she stretched out hearing a few pops of her joints. She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and glancing around the room, wondering where she was. She was still half asleep and it only took a moment before everything came rushing back. Taris. The escape. The gut feeling. Mission crying. She even remembered falling asleep briefly only to be woken up by Carth. They talked for a bit and then she... she felt really, really tired. She fell asleep... that she was sure of but had she fallen asleep in the middle of him talking? She remembers... swaying?

Her cheeks turned lightly red at the sudden idea of falling asleep on Carth. Did she fall asleep on him? He must have carried her to bed but... she was just so tired she couldn't exactly remember what she did. She rubbed her eyes again before pushing the covers off and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She wasn't going to figure anything out just sitting around in bed. Her body felt a little stiff as she tried to stretch her muscles, hearing a few more satisfying pops along her vertebrae. She glanced around the room, noting that Mission was nowhere to be found.

She must have woken up before Samirah did.

She opened up the door and quietly stepped out, trying to avoid people as she tip toed to the refresher. Even though she had rested up- thankfully with no dreams or visions weighing her mind down, she was too tired for that- she still felt like crap. She was sure she looked worse than she felt. She moved quickly until she found the door to the refresher and slipped inside. When she locked the door, she spun around and stifled the cry of horror she had been about to release. Her hair was a mess of tangles and frizz while her face was covered in grime and ash from their escape.

Oh by the jewel of Haarkan- had Carth seen her like this? She looked like... she had just been through hell and back. Huh. The words sounded oddly familiar which made her smile slightly. She stripped down before cutting the water on and stepping beneath the flow of hot water. She automatically arched her back at the intensity of the heat until she became adjusted to it. She could have fallen asleep in there but she knew it wasn't probably her best idea.

She didn't know how long she had slept but she figured it was far too long.

She was still broken up about Taris but now wasn't exactly the time to fall to pieces. Last night, it just exploded from within her like a dam breaking loose and she had no way of stopping it. She was scared, horrified and wanted to jump out there to save people. All rational thinking went out the window the moment it overcame her. There was still this lingering feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her feel slightly queasy but it wasn't something major. After her shower, she would feel a hundred times better. For now, there was nothing she could do about Taris... but that didn't mean that nothing _would_ be done.

She cleaned up, washing away all the grime and dirt until she felt clean again. She stepped out and dried off, rubbing her hair with a towel to soak up as much water as possible before dressing and brushing her hair out. When she was done brushing her teeth and felt as clean as she could possibly get, she smiled at herself. The last time she felt this well rested and clean was before the _Endar Spire _was attacked and this whole mess started. She rolled her shoulders as she exited the refresher, nearly running face first into Canderous. Her hands flew up to stop the impact as he did the same, catching her elbows. Her head whipped up to meet the Mandalorian's grinning face with a blush.

"Well, look who decided to wake up." He mused with a gleam in his eye. "Do you mind?"

His eyes flicked down to his chest where her hands rested and somehow, her cheeks managed to turn a deeper shade of red. Canderous couldn't stop the big smirk that spread across his face. After everything he witnessed her do, he would never have guess she was so easily embarrassed. Oh, he was going to have fun with this. Samirah quickly pulled her hands away, holding them up beside her head as if she had been caught with her hands in the cookie jar.

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" She stammered, her bottom lip quivering with embarrassment as she felt this tingle in her chest. It was that feeling of intense embarrassment that would well up inside of you and you just wanted to run and hide under a blanket. Of all the people to run in too like that, it had to be the Mandalorian. Canderous chuckled in a low voice, finally releasing her elbows as she tried to casually step back.

"Calm down, kid. It's not like you ran me over or anything... though I'd like to see you try." He pondered for a moment how a fight between him and her would go. He would let her off the hook today. That didn't mean she was off of it forever... he would just put this in his pocket to use on a later date. "May I?" He gestured to the room behind her and she quickly nodded her head before sidestepping out of the way, careful to avoid his touch.

Canderous couldn't help the snicker that escaped his lips as he moved past her, touching her lightly on her shoulder with his hand. A simple gesture used in passing, but with the ability to make a certain scout jump clear out of her skin. Canderous continued to snicker as he closed the door behind him, amused by her jumpy reactions. He had to know that she didn't mean anything by it. His chest just happened to be at the wrong place... at the wrong time.

When the door closed, Samirah let out a shaky breath, her body quivering at the incredibly awkward moment that she hoped would end at that. Canderous was the last person she wanted to have an awkward moment with. He handled situations in a rather bizarre way so she had no idea what to expect. She was going to have to be careful around him... especially now that he seemed amused by her reaction.

Damn her uneasiness...

She stepped away from the wall, shooting the door with a grimace before walking away. Samirah shook her head as she walked down the corridors and arriving at the center of the ship, opening the door to reveal the room. Zaalbar was seated at the table and T3 was off to the side with Mission. She was giving him a tune up and she seemed better than before, but not completely over it. When the door opened, she looked up to see Samirah and a grin immediately spread across her face.

"Hey, Sami." She greeted cheerfully before struggling for her next words. "I wanted to say... thanks... you know, for checking up on me." She said a little awkwardly. Samirah smiled as she moved to give Mission a hug which seemed to oddly erase the awkward feeling.

"Hey, don't worry about it, ok? If you need somebody, know that I'm here." She said in a quiet tone and when they pulled back, Mission was smiling gratefully at her. Samirah needed to take care of her and that's what she was going to do.

Mission had become like the little sister Samirah never had. The kind of sister you could get into a lot of trouble with and even for, but it was well worth it in the end. Especially when that little sister was an expert at stealth and blowing up Sith bases. Ah, the little things in life.

Looking over at Zaalbar, a smile rose to Samirah's lips as she realized he had figured out how to use the food synthesizer. A bowl of some sort of yellowish goop was stationed in front of him. He was staring intently at the bowl, trying to decide if it was worth it. Did he want to chance it? If he didn't, he would surely starve aboard the ship but what if it wasn't edible? What if it tasted like the Gamorrean's did? His mind swarmed with questions as he simply stared at the pile of goo, poking it.

Samirah was willing to bet that when he got hungry enough, it didn't matter what it tasted like- as long as it was better than a Gamorrean's arm, he probably didn't care. Samirah leaned in close to Mission, her hand beside her mouth to prevent Zaalbar from over hearing.

"_... let me know if he eats it and how he reacts...I might try it based on his reaction..."_ Mission scrunched up her nose but nodded.

"..._ Oh, Big Z will eat it... there's no doubt about that... I've seen him eat just about anything when he's hungry..."_ She said shooting Samirah a quick smirk before returning her attention to T3. Samirah was oddly surprised that he hadn't gone to go find Bastila and annoy her to no end.

Speaking of Bastila... Samirah was sure she needed to go find her and see how far away they were from Dantooine. She gave Mission another quick hug before walking quickly away and down the corridor leading to the bridge. She walked slowly, not in any real hurry to get there. She didn't have to be in a hurry anymore. She clasped her hands behind her back as she watched her feet, each step more like a slow hop.

One hop, pause. Two hops, pause. One hop, pause. Two hops, pause.

It reminded her oddly of a game of hopscotch. She hadn't played that game in ages, not since she was a small girl. She didn't remember playing a whole lot as a child, but for some reason... hopscotch just sort of stuck in her mind. A simplistic game with no real value or point to it but somehow would captivate you in moments of laughter. How odd.

She kept her eyes on the floor, following each step as she made her way down the quiet hallway. Hoping into invisible squares that only she could see until a shadow crept across the floor. She slowly looked up, her eyes wide as she caught sight of a burnt orange jacket that could only belong to Carth. His arms were crossed over his chest as he studied her from where he stood. She froze, mid step as her eyes were glued to his, a small blush covering her cheeks.

Did everyone enjoy these little moments or was it just today?

"H-Hi..." She stammered.

"I would ask what you were doing, but I'm not sure I want to know." Carth chuckled as she stood straight, her arms still behind her back. Despite the small blush on her cheeks, she smiled as she broke eye contact.

"It's okay, I wouldn't tell you anyway. It's a secret." She spoke in an innocent tone, her eyes flicking up to meet his for a moment.

"A secret?" He repeated and she just nodded with a coy smile, brushing past him in her playful manner. She was in a good mood which Carth hadn't expected. At least not so soon after the event.

Carth had been on his way to check up on her but seeing her wide awake, he turned around and followed her into the cockpit. Bastila was seated in the copilots chair, her back straight and her feet firmly planted on the ground. The perfect image of proper posture. As Carth and Samirah entered, Bastila glanced up at them with a smile. Samirah had never seen Bastila do much more than scowl at everything that moved so this was a nice change. Bastila looked back out the window making Samirah follow her gaze to a planet approaching them quickly.

Dantooine.

Had she really slept that long?

Bastila leaned forward, propping her elbows on the console as she rested her chin in her hands. Her eyes were watching the planet with a fondness as it came closer. The green planet was dotted with small reservoirs of water followed by thin lines of blue that could only be rivers stretching through the planes. A shadow was casted over half of the hemisphere, slowly crawling across the soil bringing night with it.

"Dantooine..." Bastila breathed in a quiet tone. Her eyes were drinking up every inch of the planet. "It feels like a life time since I last stepped foot on her surface. Though, in truth, it has only been a few months. We should be safe from Malak here... for now..."

Samirah kept her eyes on the planet as it grew larger, the planes becoming clear and more level. The water looked like it was starting to move, though in reality- It had never stopped moving. It was like the planet came to life the closer you got, becoming more real when you really looked at it. Samirah didn't break eye contact with the planet until Carth let out a frustrated sigh. Her gaze flicked over to him as he shook his head.

"Safe? You saw what his fleet did to Taris: there wasn't a building over two stories high left standing!" He said, walking over to the pilots seat but not to sit down. He rested his hands on the back of the chair, gripping the fabric tightly between his fingers, staring intently at nothing in particular. "They... They turned the planet into one big pile of rubble. What's to stop them from doing the same here?"

His eyes flicked over to Bastila who had pulled her gaze away from Dantooine, long enough to give him a reassuring smile. Definitely a different reaction than Samirah was used to.

"Even the Sith would think twice before attacking Dantooine." She returned to the console as Carth finally took his seat so they could start the landing procedure. "There are many Jedi here, including several of the most powerful Masters of the order. There is great strength within this place..."

As she spoke the words, Samirah could feel the power resonate off the planet. Like a small comforting glow illuminating the soul and the heart. She could feel this healing property echo off the surface but she didn't dare say anything. In all her time as a scout, she never visited Dantooine. It wasn't a place she ever felt she should visit. It wasn't something she could explain... it was like Dantooine wasn't quite ready for her and it didn't feel much different now.

But for now... she would have to rely on this small planet until she could get on her way again. Just for now.

"If anything else, they'll still be trying to figure out where we've gone. We should be safe long enough for us to recover and prepare." She finally said quietly as Bastila nodded.

"You are correct. We can get supplies and recuperate our lost strength. The Academy is a place of mental and spiritual healing; something we could all use after what we've been through." Her voice indicated that she was having a hard time dealing with the destruction of Taris but having a easier time hiding it.

"Maybe you're right." Carth finally conceded. This was their best option after all. "It isn't easy to witness the annihilation of an entire planet. I know Mission must be taking it pretty hard." He glanced back at Samirah as she slowly nodded her head.

"She's better... but it may take her a while to fully let go. For now, she's still distraught and a little lost." Samirah remembered how broken she looked when she found her huddled up in the room. It wasn't going to be easy and she was going to need some support. Samirah was going to try and be there when she needed it.

"She will find a way to come to terms with her grief, as will we all. She is stronger than she appears." For once, Bastila sounded more wise than conceited to Samirah.

"For her sake... I hope so..." Samirah murmured to herself. Bastila nodded as she returned her focus to the _Ebon Hawk._

The enclave came into sight, nestled between small hills and surrounded by planes. The Academy was small but that's because it didn't need to be excessively large. The Jedi only kept necessities around and were very conservative with what they did have. Most Jedi trained in Coruscant so that's where the Jedi Temple and Archives were. This was just a small branch of that. The Academy itself was just rooms connected with hallways and a peaceful garden like structure in the middle, a few more dotting around the edges. The _Ebon Hawk_ glided through the sky, slowing down as they landed softly in a small clearing. Several Jedi were scattered across the courtyard, several gazing at them with curious expression. The ship settled in easily and Carth let out a small sigh of relief.

"Nothing like being on land, huh, fly boy?" Samirah mused, earning a small smirk from him.

"Not that I have anything against traveling... but it is nice not worrying about a Sith occupation here." Carth admitted, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest.

Bastila was working quickly on the console before she opened up the hangar door. When she finished, she pulled away from the console and looked over at them. She was chewing her bottom lip, the only sign of nervousness she was showing. Her posture, her expression and even her voice all remained the same as she spoke. Confident, self-assured and in charge.

"I must go speak with the council. I need their advice on... recent developments." She had started to say something else but decided to choose her words carefully. "After I have met with them I will meet you outside the ship." Bastila stood up and quickly walked out of the cockpit, not leaving any room for comments for questions.

"Bastila, I-" But she was already gone and out of sight.

Samirah had been about to tell her that she wasn't staying long. She was hoping she could contact a friend of hers who was watching over the _Silver Meridian. _His name was Kelko Foss. He had helped her a few months before the Republic had asked for her help aboard the _Endar Spire._ He helped her scout out a strong hold on Ansion. Maybe he could travel to Dantooine with her ship. She would repay him but not with the credits she had collected. She would hand those over to Carth and let him use them however he wanted.

But how was she supposed to contact Kelko? Would he be aboard the _Silver Meridian? _Would he be too busy to come out this way? She would have to send him a message and find out.

"Samirah?" She was pulled from her thought process to look at Carth. She had forgotten that she was still standing in the cockpit, staring at nothing in particular and in complete silence. She quickly turned to him with a smile, pushing away her earlier thoughts.

"Sorry, were you trying to get my attention?" He furrowed his brow as a small frown took over.

"Are you ok?" He wondered and she nodded, letting out a soft laugh.

"Never better." She said before turning on her heel and walking away in a airy way, leaving Carth a little puzzled.

She hurried down the corridors, wanting to get off the ship and stretch her legs. She wanted to smell the fresh air and actually feel grass again. She could also figure out her next step if she was away from the ship and her crew. Not that she had anything against them, it was just easier to think that way. When she passed the middle room, everyone had already vacated the ship as well. They were apparently as eager as she was to put some distance between them and the ship that reminded them of their travels through Taris. She reached the hangar only to find Canderous seated beside the swoop bike, tinkering away.

As she entered, he looked up to meet her curious gaze with a smirk before returning back to the bike. Samirah blushed a little bit at their earlier encounter before walking quickly to the ramp, not missing out on his quick little snicker. She only paused briefly before continuing down the ramp leading to the enclave. The light hit her eyes instantly and she flinched from the sudden impact of brightness, shielding her eyes with her hand. When she was adjusted, she found several Jedi hurrying along to meditate, study or enlighten themselves with teachings of others. She watched them briefly, reveling in the peace of mind it brought to her.

She moved away from the ship, walking slowly and casually in any direction. She was just happy that she was able to move at her own pace. On Taris, she needed to move quickly. They were teetering on the edge of danger and destruction at every turn. Every corner, every building, every person they met could have been enough to push them over that line and in the way of the Sith.

Now, they were safe. Now, she could openly walk outside without fearing someone would suspect her of being a Republic soldier. Now, she could go back to being... a... scout.

Her footsteps kind of slowed down until she was barely moving. She didn't want to have to say good-bye to them all. She had kind of grown attached but she wasn't going to needlessly follow them around. She could still do a lot of good as a scout. But she would have to leave them in order to do that. She hated good-byes. She was never attached to people so it was easier then but now... she had made friends and people trusted. Goodbye's were never easy to do. Unfortunately, there were things that she needed to do.

She needed to contact Kelko.

* * *

After spending quite a bit of time checking to make sure the _Ebon Hawk _was performing at optimal capacity and that everything was in working order, Carth strolled away from his new found ship a little reluctantly. He had always found it to be so much easier when he was on a ship. The hum of the engines, the terrible food and the uncomfortable cots but you learned not to complain and take it in stride. It wasn't that bad though, you eventually became attached to the ship and being in space. At least he had.

Dantooine was warm and less populated than Taris. A nice contrast from the overly populated and segregated city. Poverty stricken and full of greedy people who spat on citizens whom they deemed unworthy to walk in the light. It was a terrible place and wasn't safe for anyone anymore. In truth though, he shouldn't be too hard on the planet since it was practically obliterated into galactic dust. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he strolled around the Academy, mildly wondering where everyone had gone. Canderous had stayed on board, muttering something about not being too keen hanging around Jedi. Personally, Carth preferred Jedi to Dark Jedi but you know... that was just his preference.

How long did Bastila need to talk to the Council? Was she filling them in on Taris? Carth wasn't too sure why they needed to stay for any of this. He was quite ready to return to the Republic and be stationed on another ship if they didn't keep him on guard duty. He worked best when he had a ship he could pilot. Was he allowed to keep the _Ebon Hawk? _It was a really nice ship and he'd hate for it to never get used. Would they give it to Samirah?

Thinking of her, he wondered where she would go. Would she move on or would she stick around? She was definitely talented and also very strong willed. He smiled to himself thinking back to all the times they had fought over trivial things and the funniest part of it all was... that he had unconsciously started to trust her. He had trouble fully trusting anyone but he had begun to trust her even if it was only a small bit.

He wandered into a small room off to the side where small children sat, studying the ways of the Force. Young Padawan learners who couldn't be more than seven or eight years old. There were only about five of them but all of them seemed disciplined and acted more like adults then small children. A few Jedi Knights were scattered around the room, helping them learn the ways of the Jedi and how to be more like Jedi. He didn't understand how people could so willingly hand their children over to the Jedi and become so detached from them.

He didn't pretend to know all there was to know about the Jedi, but he knew enough. It was a hard life. They couldn't show emotion because emotion was a weakness to them. Life wasn't grey, it was black and white. It either bad or it was good. A small girl in the room lifted her eyes to meet Carth's. He had stopped moving to watch them and their studies, not realizing it until he was caught. Her emerald eyes watched him with so little emotion other than mere curiosity and her blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail, a small braid woven tightly with clear beads falling behind her ear and over her shoulder.

"Seyda..." Her head turned back to her master, breaking her eye contact with Carth as she hurried over to the elderly man.

His hair was brown with threads of gray weaving through his head. A small, close cut beard that was clean and well maintained. He held a book out to her which she gingerly accepted, murmuring her thanks. He spoke quietly and gently to her as she nodded her head with a quaint smile on her lips, barely even there. The Jedi Master wore a brown robe over his attire, keeping his hands stashed away in the opposite sleeves. His calculating eyes flickering in Carth's direction before resting easily on his young apprentice.

He didn't want her studies to be interrupted.

Carth turned and continued walking down the hallway, leaving the Jedi to their teachings. He wasn't a Jedi so, again, he wasn't going to pretend to know their ways or teachings. He kept walking, turning the corner and finding himself in a new area. It was a small secluded garden-like area full of Jedi walking around with content expressions as if they had learned the secrets of the universe. Maybe they were too peaceful. Too calm with everything that was happening.

Malak and his forces were moving and Taris had been destroyed by Malak himself and yet these Jedi acted as if everything was the same. They weren't moving against him. They weren't doing _anything._ It was the Mandalorian War all over again. They weren't going to help them and it was a stroke of luck that Revan and Malak had stepped up. It was unexpected and startling when they pressed further until they fell from the light and from grace. When they fell to the dark side, a thing only the Jedi could understand. They probably wouldn't have done so if the Council had stepped in an aided the Republic. If they had just taken that initiative, how different would things have been?

Sometimes, Carth didn't know whose side they were on or if... they even had a side.

"For Edge's sake!" He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard the familiar tone of one particular scout.

His head spun around to find Samirah walking quickly down a sloped hallway with a datapad clenched in one hand and chewing the nail of her thumb on the other. Her eyes were glued to the datapad as she started to move past him, never glancing up to see who was standing in her way. He reached over and snatched the pad from her fingers as she started to walk by. She gasped, blinking in surprise at her fingers before turning to find out who the culprit was.

"Carth!" She automatically responded in an even more surprised tone as he scanned over her datapad. "Hey, give that back! I wasn't done with it yet!" She reached out to retrieve it but he evaded her reach, chuckling.

"What is it? A message?" He inquired, her cheeks turning a little pink.

"None of your concern!" She said a little too defensively which only made Carth that much more curious. He backed away, continuing to scan it as a frown started to settle over his features.

"Whose Kelko?" He asked, returning his gaze back to Samirah who looked away, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. She was being stubborn again.

"I won't tell. You stole my datapad, you thief." He smirked at her tone of voice. Always so stubborn.

"Well, what will you tell me then? Apparently he can't do what you're asking." He said, referring back to the datapad with curiosity. This _Kelko _was expressing his sincerest apology for not being able to comply to her wishes. He was in the middle of the Sartinaynian System which was in the Outer Rim. He couldn't pull away from it so he couldn't meet her request.

Samirah frowned before glancing at Carth a little perturbed that he stole her datapad. She had been in deep thought trying to figure out her next step. There was so little she could do on Dantooine and with her explorative nature, staying in one place wasn't exactly a keen idea for her. There wasn't any good she could do here with all these Jedi around. She felt a little overwhelmed by their presence. Wherever she went, she had this gut feeling that was doing flips and it made her want to shiver. This place held such an odd aura...

She stared at Carth a bit longer before figuring she should just come out and tell him. It wasn't goodbye so she didn't have to worry about that part just yet.

"He was just a friend who was watching my ship for me. I wasn't exactly going to abandon it while I was on the _Endar Spire._ I needed someone to watch her and... Kelko volunteered. I was seeing if he could bring her back to me, meet me on Dantooine since Bastila was safe now. There isn't much point hanging around here, you know?" She leaned back on her left leg, her arms still folded over her chest.

Carth blinked a few times as he processed what this meant. He had figured everyone would go their separate ways but... not so soon, right? She was ready to go on her own already?

"So you're planning on leaving, then? You can do a lot of good if you stayed with the Republic- I mean, I know you are _with _the Republic but you are a different branch of us, so to speak." She smiled warmly at him, laughing softly.

"I'm not leaving yet, Carth. If you don't remember, Kelko can't come yet. He's stuck in the Outer Rim. He can't exactly get to me right now so I have to hang out here for a while." She spoke in a low voice, fighting the frown she wanted to show.

It's not like she wanted to leave them, she just wanted to go back and do some good. She had some revenge to take care of as well. The Sith killed Trask and destroyed Taris... she wasn't going to let them get away with it. If she did some snooping, some reconnaissance, she could find a way to erect that retribution. Unfortunately, she couldn't accomplish this on this peace-loving planet. Especially with Jedi who were against revenge and the like. She needed to leave and she hated having to leave these guys. They had become her friends.

Carth nodded his head slowly, not keeping eye contact. He felt a small ping in his gut at the thought of her leaving. He didn't like it very much. He opened his mouth to respond when a woman shouted at them.

"You there!" They spun to see a woman with dirty blonde hair pulled into a neat bun, approaching them quickly. Her fierce eyes focused solely on Samirah. "Padawan! Why are you not wearing the customary robes of the Jedi?" She accused. Samirah looked around to make sure she was pointing at her.

"Me? But I-" She didn't let her finish.

"Do you mock the honored traditions of our order?" She questioned in an angry tone, coming to a stop in front of her. Samirah held her hands up defensively and shook her head quickly.

"No, no I would never! I believe you are mistaken though, I am no Padawan. My name is Samirah. Samirah Alda. I'm merely here with the Jedi named Bastila." The woman was surprised for a moment.

"I am Belaya and I know of this Bastila. I heard that she has mastered the art of Battle Meditation and at such a young age. I also hear she has a foolish pride in her own talents." Samirah bit her lip to hold back any retort she had prepared to let loose. Carth got away with merely mumbling.

"_It's more than a simple rumor..." _He coughed into his hand when Samirah shot him a look while the Jedi in front of her ignored the remark.

"Though you may have come with her, that does not give you passage to forsake the robes of a Jedi. You claim you are not a Padawan but I can feel that the Force is strong with you. I can feel its presence within you. If this is some type of jest, it is in very poor taste. The Jedi Order is not a subject for jokes." She chastised and Samirah let out an exasperated sigh, smiling weakly at her.

"Honest, I speak the truth. I'm not a Padawan, I'm not a Jedi and I most certainly cannot use the Force." She kept her hands up in defense, Carth remaining quiet behind her. Belaya shook her head.

"I find this very hard to believe..." She said suspiciously. Samirah spread her arms out, holding her palms up.

"How can I prove to you that I'm not a Jedi or a Padawan?" Belaya scrunched her brows together, holding Samirah's gaze for a moment longer. She finally let out a defeated sigh.

"Please forgive the abruptness with which I first greeted you. It was harsh and perhaps unfair. My master often warns me I must learn to control my emotions. I see I have much left to learn." She said quietly and Samirah waved it off.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you meant-" She was cut off by yet another voice and the purposeful steps in which followed it. Sweet mother of mercy, was everyone out to get her today?

"Samirah!" Carth, Samirah and Belaya spun to see who had called out only to find Bastila striding towards them. Carth glanced back at Samirah who looked a little exasperated at being such a figure of attention. Bastila stopped before them, looking at Belaya curiously who simply bowed her head to Samirah to excuse herself.

"I wish you a pleasant stay on Dantooine. I hope you can forgive my rudeness. May the Force be with you." She said softly before walking away and continuing on her way. Samirah watched her for a moment until Bastila broke her away.

"Making new friends I see?" She sounded more annoyed then encouraging.

"I suppose you could say that..." Bastila shook her head before placing each hand on her waist and giving her a stern look. Samirah felt like she wasn't going to like this- she never like it when Bastila had her hands on her hips.

"I thought I told you to stay by the _Ebon Hawk._ Do you know the trouble I went through to find you?" Samirah grimaced at being treated like a small child.

"Apparently not too much since you found me. I wanted away from the ship. Stretch my legs, get some fresh air and be able to walk without looking over my shoulder every few seconds in fear of being discovered by potential Sith." Samirah countered as Bastila shot her a sharp look.

"Yes, well I suppose all that matters is that I've found you. I've spoken briefly with the Council and they request and audience with you. We should go at once." Carth and Samirah exchanged suspicious looks before looking at Bastila.

"An audience? With me?" Samirah questioned in surprise.

"An audience with the Jedi Council at that. That's pretty unusual for someone who isn't even a Jedi. What's this about, Bastila?" She just shook her head, refusing to delve into details.

"I'm sorry, Carth, but I cannot tell you. All I ask is that you trust in the Force and the wisdom of the Council." She was sounding like a Jedi again and Samirah felt compelled to do as she asked when she sounded more like a Jedi and less like a snob. Carth was frowning, not liking where this was going.

"Well, I don't like being left out of the loop, but I'm not looking to get you in any trouble with the Jedi Masters. We'll do things your way... for now." Samirah shot him a panicked look for giving in so easily before doing the same to Bastila.

"Do I not get a say in this? What if I don't want to meet with them?" She didn't like getting mixed up in Jedi affairs. She'd never spoken with the Jedi Council either... but she had this feeling she didn't want to go. It couldn't possibly be a good thing.

"What do you mean you don't want to meet with them? You don't exactly have a choice." Bastila didn't see the problem. No one had ever requested _not _to speak with them.

"Like hell I don't!" Samirah protested.

"Samirah, maybe they want to congratulate you for saving Bastila." Carth offered but she scoffed at the idea.

"And so they're summoning me to a meeting for a pat on the back? I'm sorry Carth, I find that highly unlikely. No offense, Bastila, but I don't like getting mixed in with the Jedi so I'd prefer not to go. If it is a thank you, well then that's a very nice thought and I accept but I don't want a formal meeting for it. I don't want to go."She pleaded but Bastila wouldn't hear of it.

"Samirah Noval Alda, I will drag you in there with the Force if I must. You _are going_ to meet with the Council, am I understood? You do not have a choice in the matter." She nearly growled and Samirah pouted, looking to Carth for help. He wanted to, he really wanted to help her but there was very little he could do.

When it was apparent she wasn't going to receive a rescue from him she sighed in defeat. She turned to Bastila, frowning as the Jedi just grinned in response.

"Glad you saw things my way, now if you'll follow me, I'll lead us there. Come, they are expecting us." She said gripping Samirah's wrist and dragging her along in the event she tried to make an escape. Samirah shot Carth a terrified look as she found escape an impossible notion.

Carth sulked as he followed behind, knowing all he could do was wait outside until one of them filled him in. He really wished he could have done something but it _was_ the Jedi Council and apparently they had the final say. Especially on Dantooine. It was kind of ruled by Jedi so there was practically nothing he could do. When they approached the Council Chambers, Bastila's hold on Samirah remained firm as the scout became timid and nervous.

"Samirah, are you going to be alright?" Carth asked. She nodded her head slowly, swallowing hard as her stomach did flips. That feeling in her gut grew stronger as they stood outside the doors and she desperately wanted to get away. She was a little intimidated by them. Bastila paid her no mind as she turned to Carth.

"This is far as I can allow you to go, Carth. You must wait here until they are done speaking with us." She commanded and Carth reluctantly obeyed.

He stood by the door as Bastila opened it and pulled Samirah in. Samirah shot Carth one last fleeting look of terror before the door closed loudly behind them. He stared a moment longer, a weird ping of guilt in his chest at not being able to help. What in the blue blazes did the Council want with Samirah? She had a point, they wouldn't want to meet with her just to express their thanks.

Damn, he hated being left out of the loop but he was sure Samirah would fill him in. He just had to try and be patient to find out. He wasn't so good at being patient, though. He was already restless and pacing outside the door, waiting for them to come out.

Damn Jedi and their secrets.

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**And done!**

**How did you guys like this? Be sure to let me know what you thought, I always love to hear your two cents or even the whole dollar! Again, sincerest apologies and I will hopefully have the next chapter up before a week passes me by like this one did. - Good heavens... well, thanks for reading and being the lovely, supportive, diligent and amazing readers that you are! Give yourselves a big hug for me! ^-^ **

**Much appreciation and love,**

**SilverShards **


	16. Chapter 15: One Step at a Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kotor. I do own this glass of Lemonade. It was perfectly made and has made me happy. ^-^**

**I am making a habit of procrastinating and staying up late O.o sorry guys! Well, here's is the latest chapter and I hope it isn't disappointing in anyway! I will not deter you from it any longer! Enjoy!**

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**One Step at a Time**

_"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience."_

Samirah tried to look as calm and collected as possible. It was hard to do so when a certain Jedi kept a firm grip on your wrist. It was like Bastila knew that despite that calm manner in which Samirah showed the Council, she knew Samirah would bolt if she was given the chance.

She wasn't wrong to think that either.

She didn't do well in public speaking. To be accurate, she didn't _like _to do any public speaking. Add the fact that she hardly had any experience in it and she was a mess of nerves ready to explode. The Council merely looked at her with curious expression as Bastila pulled her before them, bowing politely and tugging Samirah down to do the same. When they stood tall again, Bastila yanked her forward so that she stood in front of the Council, unable to flee. Samirah froze with fear as she felt like she was in the spotlight. It was different then being in front of a gang or ruffians- this was the Jedi Council.

Bastila finally released her grasp on Samirah, confident that the scout wouldn't try to run away. Again, she was right. Samirah was too scared to try anything now. She felt like she was in trouble and was about to be handed her punishment. Of course she wasn't but that didn't mean she couldn't feel that way. She clasped her hands in front of her, rubbing her fingers together in an act of self comfort as one of the Jedi Master's spoke aloud. He was a Twi'lek of a soft coral pink color that shifted into hues of a dark plum in his lekku, his voice old and wise but his eyes strong and quick.

"Ah, so you are the one who rescued Bastila. It is appropriate that you are here." Her mouth tugged into a slight smile at the word _rescued. _She was almost certain Bastila didn't like the use of the word but it made Samirah feel a bit better.

His voice was soft and calm, so much so that Samirah relaxed slightly under his gaze. Only slightly though. She still felt on edge at being summoned before them but he was able to somehow relinquish a bit of her unease.

"We have been discussing you're rather... special case. I am Zhar, a member of the Jedi Council."

Samirah wasn't sure what was so special about her case but she held her tongue to let him continue with the introductions of each member. He gestured out to his right to a elder man who was human. He was slightly balding with a permanent scowl etched into his features. His eyes boar straight through Samirah as if he was angered at her very presence in the room. Wrinkles were lined across his face as were small bags beneath his tired eyes. His old age evident no matter how you looked at him but even with his age clearly showing, she knew he was still a hard man with some fire behind him.

"With me are Master Vrook..." Master Zhar continued, moving on to the next Master who was a smaller creature who looked far older and far wiser than the rest. He was a mossy green color in skin tone with pointy ears. Patches of gray hair on his head and ears and his eyes ever so wise and peaceful. "Master Vandar, and of course, the chronicler of our Academy, Master Dorak."He concluded, gesturing to another balding man with a darker skin tone and graying hair that was also balding at the top.

This man seemed kinder than the first human, his features indicating that he _may_ be younger than Master Vrook. His wrinkles sagged across his face and laugh lines were formed around his mouth. He was calm and stood straight along with the other members of the Council. From the way he presented himself, you could almost tell that he was an intellectual. He had this air of knowledge that swirled around him pleasantly- like a teacher of all things regarding the Order.

Samirah glanced at all the Masters that stood before her, still unsure about her presence. Zhar had said she was a special case but as far as she could tell... she was just an outsider who was permitted to see the Council against her own wishes. Zhar inclined his head towards Bastila briefly, his eyes still on Samirah.

"Padawan Bastila I am sure you are already familiar with." Samirah nodded her head slowly, keeping eye contact with him, trying to stay respectful. She didn't want to make a bad impression.

"It's a pleasure to be here but... I confess that I'm still unsure as to why I've been called here. I'm no Jedi and I fear there is very little I can offer you." She spoke meekly, trying to figure out the puzzle and do so as quickly as possible. She needed to figure out her next course of action. You couldn't very well talk about a subject you knew nothing about.

"Ah, but maybe there is much that you can. Bastila has spoken to us about the events that transpired on Taris. How you were the one to accomplish so much in so little time. She says that you are strong in the Force." Zhar said, regarding her thoughtfully.

Samirah dropped her head, breaking the eye contact first to try and hide her tired expression. There they go again. Everyone seems to be telling her that she had such a strong connection to the Force but what did that matter? It was too late for anything to be done about it. She stifled the sigh she had been about to release in exasperation. Why couldn't they leave her be as a scout? Why did they-

"We are considering you for Jedi Training."

Her head snapped back up to look at Master Zhar with wide, shocked eyes. Surely he she had misheard him.

"You what?" Was her only response as Master Vrook finally spoke, glancing at Master Zhar as he did so.

"Master Zhar speaks out of turn, perhaps. We need indisputable proof of your _strong affinity_ to the force before we would even consider accepting you for training." He said forcefully but it hardly fazed her. Samirah was speechless, struggling for words when Bastila stepped in to speak. Samirah expected her to side with Vrook but she surprised Samirah when she sided with Master Zhar.

"Proof?" She questioned with a bewildered expression. "Surely the entire Council can feel the strength of the Force within this woman... and I have already related to you the events that took place on Taris..." Vrook shook his head.

"Perhaps it was merely luck..."

"We both know there is no luck." Zhar countered. "There is only the Force. We all feel the power in this woman, Samirah, though it is wild and untamed. Now that this power has begun to manifest itself, can we safely ignore it?" Samirah opened her mouth to respond again when Vrook broke in again.

"The Jedi training is long and difficult, even when working with a young and open mind. Teaching a child is hard. How much harder will it be for an adult to learn the ways of the Jedi?" He argued. Samirah slowly raised her finger, hoping to get a word in but they kept going.

"Traditionally the Jedi do not accept adults for training, though there are rare exceptions in the history of our Order. She is a special case." This was the first time Samirah had heard Master Dorak speak. His voice was just as wise as any of the other Masters, holding the secrets and knowledge of the order. Master Vandar was nodding thoughtfully as the Masters discussed whether or not they wanted to accept Samirah as a trainee or not.

"I agree with Master Dorak." He spoke, his voice low and humble. "Many of our own pupils are leaving the Jedi order to follow the Sith teachings. We need recruits to stand against Malak. With Revan dead-"

"Are you certain Revan is truly dead?" Vrook interrupted a little forcefully. "What if we undertake to train this one and the Dark Lord should return?" Samirah was bound to have her voice heard.

"No." Was her simple response as every head in the room turned to her. She kept her eyes focused on the floor, not wanting to meet their eyes.

"No?" Zhar echoed her words, not sure what she meant or to what she was referring to. For a moment, they feared too much was said.

"No. I appreciate the thought but I will not undertake your training." That simple remark made everyone in the room stare at her in shock, Bastila the first one to recover from it.

"You can't deny it just like that! That's not how this is done!" She protested earning a glance from Samirah.

"Really? Watch me. No. I'm not going to be a Jedi and get mixed in with all of this! Bastila, is this the whole purpose of bringing me here? Of coming to Dantooine?" She asked Bastila suspiciously.

She figured they had come to Dantooine to recoup and get supplies. Maybe that was part of it but she couldn't possibly have thought to turn Samirah into a Jedi, could she? Bastila held her breath for a moment to contemplate her next choice of words but that was all Samirah needed to figure it out. She slowly shook her head before looking back at the Council members.

"Forgive me, but I can't be a Jedi. I'm not exactly fit out to be one. I'm sorry." She quickly turned around and began to hurry out of the room as Bastila didn't hesitate to follow. Samirah pushed open the doors, startling an already anxious pilot. She barely gave him a glance as she moved past him.

"Samirah! What-" He was cut short when Bastila hurried through the door and grasped Samirah's wrist. He suddenly got the feeling he had missed something huge. Again.

"Samirah! That was not my intention! And you can't just walk out on the Council like that!" Samirah spun around to look her in the eye.

"It wasn't your intention? You mentioned at first that I was Force sensitive or whatever you called it. Bastila, I'm not what they're looking for! I'm not made to be one of them! I can't be!" She nearly shouted at the Jedi before her. "This is too much even for me... I'm not cut out to be a Jedi or to follow their rules." Bastila shook her head slowly.

Carth wasn't sure what to think. He had no idea what they were talking about but apparently something happened inside the Council Chambers and Samirah wasn't in agreement. Her face was slightly flushed and she seemed antsy, trying to get away from Bastila who kept a firm hold on her arm.

"What happened in there? Is everything alright?" He questioned suspiciously as Samirah tried to pull her hand free.

"This isn't the best time, Carth!" Bastila spat, her eyes never wavering from Samirah. "This is not a choice you can make, Samirah." Samirah looked at her with a cold expression as she yanked her hand free of Bastila roughly.

"Watch me." She spun around on her heels and marched away. Bastila's expression went from shock to disbelief to outright rage as she too spun around to re-enter the council chambers. Carth had no idea how to react to that.

"Bastila-"

"Not. Now." She hissed, closing the door behind her.

Carth stared at the door before looking back in the direction Samirah had gone. Well wasn't this perfect. He was further out of the loop then he thought and he didn't like it. What happened? Samirah wouldn't have gotten so upset over a mere thank you. He knew it had to be more than that. She seemed a little more than agitated at whatever had transpired in there. Since he figured he wasn't allowed within the Council Chambers at the moment, he followed after Samirah.

After several minutes of searching through the Academy, it became apparent that she wasn't there. He figured the only other place she would be at was aboard the _Ebon Hawk._ He slowly boarded the small vessel, trying not to seem too rushed to find her. He was hoping she would give him some answers and fill him in on what had upset her. He smirked when he didn't see Canderous seated by the swoop bike. One could only find so much amusement in tuning a bike for only so long. The Mandalorian was no exception.

Carth was a bit relieved when he finally found Samirah, seated at a table in the main hold. She had one hand on her forehead and the other on a datapad as she scrutinized it. She barely looked at Carth as he took the chair across from her, sitting down quietly and folding his arms on the table. He didn't say a word but just waited as patiently as he could. After several minutes of silence, her eyes flicked up to him with a frown.

She found his silence a little unnerving for some reason.

"Alright, ask your questions." She stated simply earning a small smile from him.

"And what makes you think I have questions?" She set the datapad down, mirroring his posture with a knowing smile.

"The great Carth Onasi is never quiet... you always have something to say so out with it. Ask away." She propped her elbow on the table as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand, waiting for him to start. The day this man stayed quiet about his thoughts was the day she was a Jedi- and she wasn't about to let that happen. He nodded his head thoughtfully before beginning.

"What did the Council say that upset you?" She let out a small sigh, focusing on the corners of the datapad in front of her, picking at the metal lining.

"I'm not exactly upset just...I don't know what I am. I suppose surprised and a little confused would better explain it. They want me to become a... Jedi." The word sounded awkward in her mouth which made her grimace. Carth attempted to keep a neutral face but it didn't last long... not long at all, really.

"They_ what?"_ The idea sounded ludicrous to him. Yes, she was extremely talented but to be a_ Jedi?_ "Why would they want to do that?" She shrugged, clearly feeling awkward.

"I don't know... but I'm not exactly cut out to be one. They say that I'm connected to the Force... _Force Sensitive_ they said. I don't think I can do it, Carth. I don't think I can become a Jedi." She exclaimed.

Carth was kind of on the fence about it.

She was skilled. If she was a Jedi, then she would be that much more powerful. She had the potential to be a great Jedi, he could see that. So why hadn't they found her as a child? Right now, she was a skilled Republic soldier but to become a Jedi would mean Samirah changing. She would have to change drastically and learn quickly, right? They had strict rules and guidelines she would have to follow so wouldn't that be the same as changing her? Whether it was for the best or the worst, they would still have to change her. Looking at her now, he could tell she was thinking along the same lines as himself.

Could she tell them no? Was it that simple?

"What did you tell them?" He asked quietly and she smiled, still staring at nothing.

"I said no. That was after the Council seemed a bit split by my decision. They were debating whether or not to even accept me. One of them didn't seem to like me from the start so I decided to make the decision for them. Bastila argued with me so I walked away." She finished, shrugging it off as a simple matter. She looked at him, the ghost of a smile there. "I can't walk the line they set out before me. Something about it just unsettles me and I'm... I don't know." She stated before rubbing her eyebrow.

This was too much stress.

Carth wasn't sure what to say. He felt a little awkward himself. He didn't know what he should say or what he should do so he just let the silence be silence. Her mind was elsewhere as she tried to process what the Council had said and the debate that ensued. Were they still debating? Had they decided that she wasn't suited to be a Jedi after all? She did walk out on the after all... she felt extremely rude for doing that but she didn't want them to try and persuade her. It saved them all time. Maybe it proved she wasn't what they were looking for if she had the audacity to walk out on them.

The echo of footsteps quickly drew her eyes in the direction of the loading ramp along with Carth. Someone had boarded the ship and was slowly making their way back. After several moments, Mission stepped through and glanced at the two before her with an innocent expression.

"Oh, hey, didn't know anyone was back yet." Carth realized he hadn't seen most of the crew in the Academy as he smiled at the young Twi'lek. Where had they all gone?

"What have you been doing?" He wondered out loud as she suddenly beamed a smile.

"Playing some Pazaak with a couple of people. Some locals and what not." She held her hands out to reveal the credits she had won off the unsuspecting locals. Samirah started laughing as she spun around to fully face her.

"You won all _that_ off of them?" She inquired suspiciously smiling slightly as she narrowed her eyes on the young Twi'lek. She had a good couple of hundred credits. Mission fidgeted a bit before rolling her eyes.

"Okay, maybe one of the guys had a little _too_ much to drink. He was also very bitter so I may have... _relieved_ him of a couple of credits. Think about it, he can't but anymore drinks if he doesn't have the money! He didn't need them anyway!" She explained, trying to justify her actions.

"All right, all right, I'll play you for them." Samirah offered, piquing her interest. Mission's mouth turned up into a smirk.

"You wanna play for these?" She gestured to the credits in her hands as Samirah nodded.

"I know you're a good player so I hopefully won't make the same mistake they did." She held up her little pouch of credits and Mission smiled eagerly at the prospect of earning more. "Do you have a deck I could use?" She question as Mission nodded, pulling out all of her cards.

Carth chuckled as he stood up and held his chair out for Mission to take. Mission held out a deck for Samirah to take before shuffling through her own. It suddenly occurred to Carth that he had never seen Samirah play a game of Pazaak once. By asking Mission for a deck, that meant she didn't have one of her own. Was this another latent ability she had yet to reveal to the crew? He wouldn't be surprised if she somehow won every game and every credit off of Mission.

At first, it wasn't looking too good for Samirah. She didn't understand the rules of the game very well so she was lucky the wagering had started off at small amounts. What amazed Carth was that she wasn't getting frustrated or annoyed, she was just smiling the whole time. Mission was patient and every now and then would take a jab at Samirah's inability to play the game right but Samirah would just laugh and joke back. They played several hands, Samirah winning a few and then Mission winning more than a few.

Something about the game seemed so... relaxed. It was like the credits didn't really matter, it was just some fun. Carth leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he watched the game unfold. Samirah slowly started to get the hang of the game but she wasn't a mastermind yet. A small smile crept across her lips as they upped the ante a bit. Out of fourteen games, Samirah had only won three so upping the ante didn't seem like a good idea to Carth. He was actually worried Mission would win everything off of her.

Worse yet... it was Samirah's idea to up the ante. Either she was secretly a Pazaak champion or she had no idea what she was doing.

It was too soon to tell.

After twenty-seven games, Samirah the winner of only five. Mission had earned a bit more credits and a big smile was stretched across her face as Samirah laughed, finally putting her cards down on the table and leaning back into her chair. A sign that she was admitting defeat.

"Alright, I concede to our champion." She breathed in feigned disappointment, unable to wipe her smile away.

"I tried to warn you, Sami." She joked making Samirah laugh.

"You didn't say anything that even sounded like a warning!" Samirah joked back, raising an eyebrow. Mission collected her winnings into a pouch and placed them securing in her vest pocket.

"Yeah, but I was thinking it." Mission proclaimed before Samirah waved her off with a smile.

"Alright, go spend your winnings Champion. And don't pickpockets the drunkards, either. They're people too." She said in a joking manner as Mission bounced right out of the room, rolling her eyes. Samirah's gaze followed the Twi'lek for a moment as Carth took the seat in front of her again.

"You do realize you've lost about half of your credits, right?" She looked at him still smiling thoughtfully as she crossed her arms over the table.

"It was worth it. Did you see that smile?" She asked. "Mission was happy. That smile was genuine, not forced."

Carth blinked a few times before what she was saying clicked. The whole purpose of what she was doing was to cheer Mission up. Take her mind off of the events that led them to this small enclave. Pazaak was the one thing Mission enjoyed and Samirah had wanted to contribute to it. Bastila had said that all she needed was time and that she would find a way to cope but Samirah was helping that process along. Just because she'll cope, doesn't mean you can't be there for them and that was what Samirah was doing. Carth found himself smiling and chuckling softly when he realized that.

She looked at him funny when he started laughing on his own but she wasn't going to ask questions. Sometimes, you just needed to let things be and he was definitely one of those things.

After a few moments of silence, Samirah couldn't help but fiddle with her fingers trying to think of something to say. Usually with Carth, it was a rare moment when they could talk without an argument following shortly. She didn't feel like arguing either so she opted for finding a project to work on for now. At least until she was off of Dantooine and she had the perfect project in mind.

"I saw that Zaalbar was eyeing some yellowish goop that had come from the food synthesizer. I'm going to see if there's anything I can do about it because I'm not eating that." She stated with a grimace. It didn't sound like fun but it was something that was beneficial to the crew.

It also put her thoughts elsewhere.

Carth nodded with a small smirk in place. He could hear how unpleasant the idea sounded to her. It wasn't exactly an exciting job at all. It would probably be a bit boring too...

"Need any help?" She paused, a little surprised at his offer but smiled softly at him as she nodded her head.

"Yeah... I'd like that."

* * *

After several hours of working on the food synthesizer, Samirah figured out that she was going to need some new components to make the food taste better but at least she erased the pale yellow color. Only problem was that she had now replaced it with a pale blue-green color which didn't look any better. She even went as far as tasting the goo only to find that it had a grimy texture and was salty with a metallic edge to it. Almost sour. Carth had laughed at her face as it contorted in displeasure. It wasn't something she wanted to eat every day. The grimy texture alone reminded her of sand on a beach. Did Davik ever use this thing or did he not really care too much about it.

There was only so much she could do without the proper utensils and equipment and unfortunately, Dantooine didn't have what she needed. So in retrospect, she hadn't done much more than change the color. She wasn't going to complain about color though because blue-green looked a lot better than a pale yellow. Given the chance, she would have to see what she could do... if she stayed around long enough to help.

Though, the best part was probably hanging out with Carth. Even though they hardly accomplished anything in those hours, she did enjoy his company. They talked while they worked and joked around to help make time pass by. She didn't know he could be such a great source of company and she was thoroughly surprised by this small piece of information. When they parted, it was almost a little reluctantly. She was beginning to enjoy his company more and more and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to that.

She laid down in her cot, her brunette hair falling over her shoulders as she stared at the wall beside her. When Bastila had returned, she didn't really look at Samirah, too annoyed at the fact that she had walked out on the Council in the first place. She didn't even say anything. It was either walk out on them or listen as they argued over potentially accepting her. It was easier to just walk away, they didn't need her in the room for any of that.

She nuzzled into her pillow, sliding her arms underneath it and pulling it closer. This was just too much. All of it. She closed her eyes trying to ease into a relaxing sleep but it was far from relaxing. She was sucked back into that void, unexpectedly. The black abyss that swallowed her up, encompassing her like a thin, suffocating blanket.

_"The Dark side is strong in this place..."_

No way out. No room to move. No room to breathe.

_"...Is this wise..."_

She thrashed about in her sleep as the images flickered behind her eyelids like a book. A book with moving pictures and pages moving too fast. They flipped so fast she had no idea what each page was showing her until they stopped, enlarging and showing her two people underground.

_"...We can never go back."_

She could smell the stale air and the dirt mixed together. The sound of footsteps across the gravel and the feel of the cold stone beneath her fingers but she wasn't there. It was almost like she was actually there but not... Like she was beside them as they spoke. Doors opening, the sound of stone grating on stone reverberating against the walls. The sounds echoing in her mind as the scene unfolded.

_"...Secrets of the Star Forge..."_

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as her face scrunched up and she tried to push herself deeper into the cot. She couldn't pull herself away. It was like these images had a hold on her and refused to let go of her. The air felt thick in the cave as the two figures moved forward, the one speaking being Malak and the cloaked figure she presumed to be Revan. She tried to take deep breaths but found it hard to remain calm. She no longer had any control.

_"...Banish us..."_

Samirah was finally released as her eyes flew open and she shot up in her bed gasping for air. One hand was pressed firmly to her forehead and the other on her chest. Her heart beat was erratic and she was sweating profusely. The images, the sounds, the scents- all of it was so intense and so strong it felt real. Her hair was matted to her forehead and when she looked down, she found the sheets all wrapped around her legs. She hastily and frantically pulled them away, releasing her legs as she tried to get out of bed. She ended up moving too fast and tripped over her sheets as they wrapped around her ankles, colliding with the floor.

"For Edge's Sake!" She cried in a low voice as she pulled herself up into a sitting position.

She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at the cots only to find she was alone. That was a blessing in disguise. She got up and quickly rushed to the refresher to shower off all the sweat and, with any luck, the dream.

Unfortunately it did little to relief her of the images, it only gave her more time to think about it. She needed to do something to get her mind off of it. She couldn't be having dreams about Revan and Malak- It would only give the Council more reason to train her if they hadn't already decided against it. She shut the water off as she quickly dried herself and dressed in some of her usual attire. A cream colored long-sleeve shirt with a brown vest and brown cargo pants. Her boots were tied with shaky fingers before she quickly exited the room and started to hurry somewhere. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going.

As she moved quickly through the ship, she entered the main hold just as Carth did. His hair was messy but not in a bad way, it actually kind of fit him. His usual orange jacket on with his hands stuffed in the pockets. When he caught sight of her, he had started to smile but it faltered when he really looked at her.

"Samirah? Are you alright?" She feigned a smile, hoping it was believable but by his reaction... it wasn't.

Her hair wasn't in a ponytail but falling freely in waves and reached her mid-back. It was natural as it cascaded over her shoulders in layers, the uneven bangs that reached her nose and feathered out, merging with the rest of her hair. The part that bothered Carth was her pale face and tired eyes. It looked like she barely slept. Her chocolate brown eyes that were usually so full of life and luster were dull. Her entire posture didn't look the same... something was off... entirely off.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be fine? Fabulous. It's all-" Carth crossed his arms and looked pointedly at her and she sighed. "Who am I kidding, it's not fine but I'm sure it will be."

She rubbed her head as Carth went and started to make Samirah a cup of tea. She watched him a little skeptically as he prepared it with some items she didn't remember having. As he handed her a cup she decided she didn't want to ask him about it quite yet. She just wanted to drink her nice hot cup as she closed her eyes and inhaled. It was... calming. It relieved her slightly, calming her down a bit but it didn't erase the vivid images.

"You know, ever since we landed on Dantooine, everything has been getting stranger and stranger. Take this morning for instance. Bastila left not too long ago looking like she had just seen a ghost." Samirah eye's flew open and looked directly at Carth.

Bastila?

"What did she say?" Carth lifted an eyebrow as he thought back.

"Well, Bastila did say you should go to the Council Chamber. No doubt its urgent and more than likely to finish the matter from yesterday." He informed her and her face paled a bit more. That wasn't what she had in mind. It was actually the last thing she had in mind.

"Did she say anything else...?" She asked in a small voice, looking away. He shook his head.

"No, she didn't. She didn't look well as I recall... and for that matter, neither do you. Are you sure you're ok?" When she nodded he frowned in response. "Do you want to talk about it?" He offered and she laughed softly, meeting his eyes again.

"Not quite yet, but thanks flyboy." She let out a sigh as she took a big sip of her tea. She placed the cup down on the table and started to walk away, shooting Carth one last fleeting look. "I suppose I better go talk to them. I'm sure they aren't too happy with me as it is so we should settle this for good. I want away from this place as soon as possible."

With that she left the main hold and left Carth wondering what was up with everyone this morning. He clearly had missed out on something major... again. Apparently that was happening a lot lately and he didn't like it. He was being left behind again. He slouched into a chair with his own cup of tea and stared at her half empty cup. He didn't know if she knew it or not, but her fingers had been shaking slightly as she held the tea. She was just so much on edge that it worried him. He sipped his tea, relaxing back into his chair unable to remove his eyes from her own cup.

He was back to playing the waiting game. Lovely.

Samirah walked as quickly and purposefully as she could. She was jittery and anxious and ready to be done with all of this. Just like the first time, she wasn't exactly sure what to expect other than them pushing for her to be a Jedi. Actually, after their last meeting, they may have reconsidered. She was content with the life she led now. She was happy exploring and seeing the galaxy for what it was. Jedi powers would come in handy but a lot of strings were attached in order for her to acquire them. She didn't know if she could become an example for the galaxy. Jedi are images of justice and righteousness... she didn't think she fit that criteria.

She maneuvered herself through the Jedi, avoiding their touch as she took quick strides to the Council chamber. A few of the Jedi gave her cautious glances and some of them even did double takes as she hurried by, her mood slowly turning a bit sour as she passed them. Didn't they have anything better to do then stare at a flustered girl? She went out of her way not to touch anyone, feeling a little fidgety and anxious. She had nothing against these people but any contact was very unwelcome at the moment.

She hurried down the hallway and came to an abrupt stop before the long sliding doors of the Council chambers. She took a minute to calm herself and look as neutral as she could. She was settling this little argument today. Jedi Masters or not, she was speaking her mind. She slid the doors open and walked in calmly and with poise. All heads were already on her the moment the door opened and she fought the frown that struggled to set firmly on her features. They already knew she was at the door, biding her time before she entered. Vandar spoke directly to her as she approached them, his eyes ever so watchful of her every move.

"I am pleased that you decided to join us, Samirah. I had hoped you would return despite our disagreement the day before. Especially now that Bastila has told us of a most unusual development. She claims you and she have shared a dream, a vision of Malak and Revan in the ancient ruins here on Dantooine." Samirah's steps faltered as her blood went cold. Her eyes growing wide as she glanced at Bastila who kept her eyes at the ground.

"These ruins have long been known to us," Dorak continued, not giving Samirah a chance to speak. "But we believed them to be merely burial mounds. Perhaps they are more than we first suspected if Revan and Malak found something there." When he finished, Samirah found this as her opportunity to chime in.

"How would Bastila know if we shared a dream?" She replied as calmly as possible, looking back to Vandar. "Did you plant the idea in my head? This _dream?"_ She didn't want to fall into some Jedi trap to convince her of being a Jedi. She was content with the life she led, she didn't need to drastically alter it now.

Vandar frowned at the accusation, a little perturbed that she thought so little of them and the order.

"No, it is not a seed. Not a vision that we could plant. She knows because she felt your presence within the dream, the presence she has felt within you ever since—"Vrook looked sharply at him.

"Master Vandar!" Vandar merely looked at Vrook with a perturbed expression, continuing his sentence as if undisturbed.

"Ever since Taris." Vrook looked away, trying to hide his small irritation but it didn't go unnoticed by Samirah. For a Jedi, he wasn't very at peace with his surroundings. He was old and cranky, not that she was there to judge. "It is not unknown for this to happen between two people strong in the Force. Bastila has described this shared dream to the Council in great detail. We feel it is more than a dream. It is a vision. The Force is acting through you as it acts through Bastila."

Samirah rubbed the temples of her head. She wasn't fit to be a Jedi. She couldn't emphasize this enough to the Council. She could hardly remain sane around Carth so how was she supposed to be a peace with the world as most Jedi were. She didn't dare think all Jedi were at peace—not after meeting Vrook. Now they were telling her she was so attuned to the Force, it was acting through her. More evidence they were sure to use to get her to be a Jedi. So far, Vrook wasn't arguing the point and she took that as a bad sign.

There went her support.

"So, I'm having visions now? Better yet, they're shared with Bastila?" She replied quietly, refusing to open her eyes as she massaged her head.

"You and Bastila share a powerful connection to the Force…and each other." Zhar spoke gently and she was a bit relieved because of it. It seemed like he wanted this to go over smoothly for her and she respected him for that. "This is not unheard of. Connections often form between Master and student, but rarely does a bond develop so quickly."

"Whatever dangers may lie ahead, we cannot ignore the destiny that has brought you and Bastila here to us. Together." Vandar finished.

Then, like a light bulb going off, she understood. She realized what they were saying and it was like being hit in the face with a brick. Her mouth dropped open and she looked up at each Master, hoping she imagined it, hoping that she misunderstood what they were trying to say. This was something she didn't want. She didn't ask for this. She didn't _need_ this. When she boarded the _Endar Spire,_ it was to help fight the Sith. Not to be roped into the affairs of the Jedi. Unfortunately, as she looked at each one, the truth of it all was apparent.

"Are you saying I'm… That I'm… with her? That we're…_joined?" _Her voice sounded squeaky, even to her. Her words were fumbled and she suddenly felt defeated by the very idea. Vandar slowly nodded.

"You and she are linked, as is your fate to hers. Together, you two may be able to stop Darth Malak and the Sith."

"You have got be kidding me!" Samirah cried into her hands. "We can't even stand each other now! She drives me crazy and I think I do the same to her! How do you expect us to—"

"What is done is done." Vandar interrupted. "Fate had intertwined your destiny with hers. You need her just as she will need you, Samirah. Only you two can bring down Malak. Only together can you two bring peace to the galaxy once again." His eyes bore straight through her and she was frozen by the weight of his words. Somehow, using her name made it all the more real to her.

She and Bastila were _linked._

"But do not let your head be filled with visions of glory and power! Such thoughts are the path to the dark side!" Vrook interrupted fiercely, making her cringe. When he spoke, he made her feel like she had already failed. He spoke to her with so much disdain… she couldn't figure out why."The way of the light is long and difficult, as you must learn. Are you ready for such hardships?"

He was almost challenging her. She wasn't sure if he was trying to talk her into leaving now or if he was merely trying to force the weight of it all onto her. He was a hard man to read and she wasn't sure how she was even supposed to begin. He scrutinized her under his gaze, his stern and hard eyes challenging her.

"No, no I'm not." She spoke quietly, shaking her head. She pulled her eyes to Vandar who was oddly smiling. It was a gentle and kind smile but a knowing one at that. Add to that that he was a small little creature and it was a little intimidating for some reason.

"Understand that there is little choice in this matter, for you or us." She sighed in defeat, realizing there was no way out. She was caught in their web. "Across the galaxy the numbers of our Order dwindle. We have sent many Jedi in quest of a way to thwart Malak's advance… many have not returned."His voice was solemn for a moment, a brief pause in his speech at their mention.

"The Sith hunt the Jedi down like animals, ambushing and assassinating our brothers wherever they are found. We fear it is only a matter of time until they discover even this hidden refuge." He concluded.

"Other Jedi have fallen from the light and embraced the dark side, giving their allegiance to the Sith and Malak, their dark lord." Samirah swore Vrook was directing that at her. Apparently he was still against the idea of her becoming a Jedi. She really wished he would speak up for her sake. Save them both the grief of it all.

"And how do you propose we stop him? If well trained Jedi can't do anything, what do you hope from an untrained one?" She reasoned, but to no avail.

"Perhaps our hope lies in not just you, but the dream you and Bastila shared. The Council has… come to the conclusion that you and Bastila must investigate the ancient ruins you dreamed of." He finished sourly, still not too keen on the idea.

"What?" Dorak nodded, his wise features smiling simply at her protest.

"Perhaps there you will find some clue, some explanation of how Revan and Malak were corrupted. And perhaps there you shall find a way to stop them." He mused with a smile.

"I don't mind to help you out, but I suppose this requires me to be a Jedi."

"Yes, you will have to be well prepared. For the darkness and for the trials within." Dorak answered, still smiling, already knowing where she was taking this.

"I don't know if you recall, but I have already declined your offer. I'm no Jedi nor will I be. I have a suitable life-style, it is what I am. I am a scout. I can't possibly be a Jedi, it would be too much. I'm sorry but you expect too much of me. I am only one woman." Vandar nodded, thinking about her statement for a moment before looking at her.

"I see. You have a strong affinity with the Force, Samirah. With such power comes great responsibility… and danger. You may wish to deny what you are, but the Council cannot turn a blind eye." He countered, Zhar nodding as he finished Master Vandar's thoughts.

"Neither will Darth Malak. Your strength is a threat to him. In time he will learn of you and the Sith will hunt you down. It is inevitable. Defeating the Sith is the only way to save yourself."

"It seems… I have no choice in the matter then, do I?" She replied calmly and in a neutral voice.

"I'm afraid not, my dear." Dorak spoke softly, a small smile still in place.

This meant giving up her way of life. Her exploration, her ship, her very being was to be stripped away so that she could become a… Jedi. As a child, being a Jedi would have been her heart's desire but now… now she had already chosen her way of life. She had nothing against the Jedi and she did feel honored to be given such a rare opportunity… but why now? Why not when she was young? Why not when she was a child? Surely she didn't just manifest the affinity to wield such power. Why hadn't they found her as a child before she had become so accustomed to her travels and work.

Before she found a way of life that she loved.

It may at times have been shady, but she was a scout and she loved it. Now, it was going to be taken away from her. Her very life was to become tranquil for the Council. She would have rules to abide by and always being told of the consequences of her thoughts. She felt a little caged by the idea but had no more time to think on it as Vandar spoke.

"Before we send you to investigate the ruins, you must be trained in the ways of the Jedi so that you can resist the darkness within yourself… within all of us. Otherwise you are doomed to fail."

"As you wish, Master Vandar." She spoke quietly and obediently. If this was to be her new path, she might as well start off as an obedient student. No point in being troublesome for them. They would be looking over her shoulder from now on so she would need to give them reason to have faith in her.

"We must begin your training at once. You have a destiny upon you that you must be prepared to face. The entire fate of the galaxy is upon you." Zhar said.

_Way to put the pressure on, _she thought a little sourly. She was nervous. She was a quick learner but she didn't know how much that would help her here. They were putting such a heavy burden on her shoulders but she would have to fight to not show how much it weighed her down. She was supposed to save the galaxy after all.

"I can only hope you will prove up to the task." Her eyes found Vrook as he stared intently at her, as if he knew what she was thinking. As if he knew her every doubt and fear, everything that plagued her mind.

Zhar moved away from the Masters and gestured for her to follow him.

"Follow me and you're training shall begin." He was smiling happily and she wasn't sure if that should calm her down or worry her.

"Now? As in, right now?" She question and when he nodded, he gently grabbed her by the forearm to lead her away. She threw a look back at Bastila who didn't move from her place by the Masters. Her eyes finally following Samirah but her face completely neutral.

Zhar led her to a separate room filled with books, datapads and a small table with a chair. A chair that Zhar placed her in before setting a few books before her. This was where her training would begin. This would be the start of her transition from a scout into a Jedi. It would take her time to adjust and accept this change but she had no other choice. They made it apparent that they could not let her just leave with all of that power welling up inside of her. Not when they could put her power to use, apparently.

To make matters even better, she was linked to Bastila. It was too much to take in and she felt overwhelmed by it all. Becoming a Jedi. Defeating Malak. Being joined with Bastila. Saving the galaxy.

She wasn't a hero. She couldn't do these things. Being a scout, she was out of the spotlight and behind the scenes. She wasn't the catalyst, the champion, the conqueror. She was a worker who supplied the heroes and heroines. She gave them what they needed and accepted no credit or fame for it. All of sudden she was expected to save the galaxy? She couldn't do that. It was too much. They asked for too much this time. Let Bastila be the heroine, let her have the spotlight. Samirah just wanted to stay a shadow and push Bastila forward to victory.

She couldn't do this. Samirah didn't have the strength or courage to do this.

_One step at a time. Accept it piece by piece and do not let it consume you._

It wasn't her thought, but it felt like her own. It didn't even sound like her voice but it was right. Samirah just needed to take things slow. She would cross those bridges when she came to them. For now, she had a Master before her who was trying to teach her the basics of becoming a Jedi. After all, she did have several years to make up. She was sure the younger ones knew more than she did. She needed to play catch up.

She needed to pay attention and soak up every word he said.

One step at a time, right?

* * *

**And Fin!**

**How was it? Hopefully it was what you guys expected or at least met your expectations! ^-^ I just want to say thank you again to all my gracious readers! You guys are amazing! I don't know how else to put it but I appreciate it very much! Thank you again for reading guys and be sure to tell me what you thought. ^-^ I love hearing from you guys. It also prompts me not to procrastinate because I have a bad habit of doing that, especially as of late. ^-^ **

**Thank you and much love to you guys!**

**~SilverShards~**


	17. Chapter 16: Tests and Trials

**Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the quirky lines by Samirah. Or any nerdiness that may be represented lol**

**Omigosh! I have a really good reason for taking so long to update! Three words: Dragon Age II. **

**Okay, well, technically thats two words and a number but you get the gist of it. I did the idiotic thing and decided "Hey, I can start Dragon Age II, it'll be fine. I'll still be able to write and update and do all that other crazy stuff that I do." Yeah. Totally wrong. I still haven't beaten that game and theres another story behind that. But I will take up no more of your time so again: I hope that you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me for being such a procratinator and a nerd!**

**Enjoy!**

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* * *

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**Tests and Trials**

"_Hold a friend's hand through times of __trial__, let her find love through a hug and a smile; but also know when it is time to let go-for every one of us must learn to grow."_

"Good, keep your focus on your movements!" Bastila shouted as their swords clashed in the hall. They had been sparring since… well, since it was dark. Samirah didn't know what time it was, only that it was now bright outside. Too bright. She kept squinting her eyes but remaining focused.

She was allowed no handicap because her enemies would not allow such.

"Good. Rely on your senses. Rely on the Force." Master Zhar provided words of encouragement and gave advice as she moved. Block left, swing right. Overhead. Now slide to the right along her blade. Block, spin, block, jab. Bastila tried to keep her movements from being repetitive, aiming to keep Samirah guessing.

It was a game.

Samirah had progressed extremely well. She had originally done well when she first started, but Bastila had the slight upper hand: command of the Force and the different forms the Jedi used when in swordplay. Samirah would win some… Bastila would win more. Though, Zhar did compliment her on being able to win any at all. Apparently that was a feat that many did not expect from a neophyte such as her. Not against a fellow Jedi at least.

After one blow that left Bastila staggering backwards, Zhar clapped as Samirah huffed. She was exhausted but she didn't let her guard down. You never let your guard down. Not as a scout. Not as a Republic Soldier. Not as a Jedi. It was something you learned when battling, no matter your opponent. Not everyone played by the rules and not everyone played fair. Bastila straightened up as she dropped her blade to the floor, admitting defeat. She wasn't ashamed but proud that Samirah had come so far.

No hurt pride, no excuses.

"Well done, apprentice. I truly believe that you are nearly ready." Zhar commented giving her an approving smile as her body ached. She ignored it to smile back. Bastila nodded curtly, showing the smallest hint of a smile. During this entire training process, Samirah had come to understand Bastila a bit better. She didn't truly understand her attitude, but she understood enough about her.

"T-thank you…" Samirah murmured under her ragged breathing. She was beyond exhausted. She was at that point when you knew your body was tired but you had overcome the overwhelming exhaustion. You had enough Stamina to get things done. To do what she needed to do.

And she needed a shower… but she also needed to study.

Choices, choices, choices.

"You have done in weeks what many cannot do in years. I am honored to welcome you fully… into the Jedi Order." Bastila smiled proudly at Samirah and it gave her a feeling of… pride? No. Not pride. Accomplishment. To do something like this took more will then she thought she had. When it became apparent she had no other choice, she had accepted it as her new way of life.

Now, she had made them proud.

"Soon your apprenticeship will end and you will be granted the title of Padawan, the lowest rank of those within the Jedi Order. Yet first you must prove yourself worthy." A hint of a smile appeared on his face when she nearly groaned but was gone just as quick. She had to prove more things to them. Why wasn't she surprised by this new development?

"You have learned much, yet there is much more for you to still understand." Again. It was like he could read her thoughts and that only made her paranoid. Was she that easy to read or was the Force spying on her? She was pretty sure it was the Force betraying her feelings to her master. It had an uncanny way of doing it too. "The way of the Jedi must be entered with a clear and focused mind. In the traditions and customs of our Order, as handed down from Master to pupil for a thousand generations, you must successfully complete three tests before you earn your place among the Jedi."

She mentally sighed at the word _tests._ She didn't like tests. Especially the ones he gave. The last test he gave her was a blindfold over her eyes and he told her to go a week without seeing, but _feeling._ She had to use the Force to guide her through her daily routines. Under no circumstances was she allowed to take it off. The Force was to guide her and she was to trust in it. She was to let it be her eyes.

It was much harder than it sounded.

"Tests?" he nodded and she sighed. "I am ready when you are, Master."

"Truly?" He asked skeptically and yet, with a smile. "These tests will see if you have truly mastered the training you have been given, both mental and physical." He clarified.

"If I have done as you have said, then I should be prepared to some degree. I am confident in my abilities." He nodded, his keen eyes watching her every movement.

"Take care that your confidence does not become you. Do not let it grow to consume you, my apprentice." He said darkly and she nodded slowly. A shiver slid down her spine. Overconfidence was something easy to come by and she would have to be cautious when necessary. Be able to have confidence but not to let it go out of hand. That was easy to do.

"First, I will test your knowledge of the Jedi Code. These tenets must always guide your actions; in everything you do you must always be conscious of their wisdom. You must prove you have a Jedi's understanding of the Code. Do you recall the code, young one?" He inquired curiously and she nodded slowly. Through this entire process—Bastila wouldn't let her forget them.

She shot Bastila a smirk and she returned the small gesture. Either she was just passing on the same technique in which she was taught or she had been preparing Samirah for this moment. Master Zhar nodded again, not paying any heed to the small interaction between the two girls.

"There is no emotion…" He started, allowing Samirah to finish the rest of the code. A test that was simple enough for now, but she knew that it was only the first.

* * *

He was concerned.

Not the normal kind of concerned when you're not sure if the Bith bartender is actually a bartender because when you asked for a Green Galaxy and you somehow wound up with a Sarlacc Kicker served in a well used shoe…

He was legitimately concerned. The kind when you lose your most prized pet on a foreign world filled with animals that liked to eat pets such as your own. That kind.

It had been weeks since Carth had last spoken to Samirah. It actually worried him how much time she was spending with the Jedi now. When she had come back late that first night after speaking with the council for the second time, not only was she exhausted but she had told Carth how she had no choice but to be a Jedi. They weren't giving her a choice because of the raw power that ran through her veins. He tried to get her to talk more about it but he could already see the uneasiness she was feeling about the entire ordeal. So he let her be.

After that, he rarely saw her.

She was up before anyone else and she came back after everyone had fallen asleep. Carth was willing to wager a few credits that some nights she didn't come back at all. She was submerged in this endless training that the Jedi Council was drilling into her. Mission was worried about her and would sometimes be found pacing around in the hangar, hoping to run into her. Canderous didn't mind at first, but the Twi'leks constant pacing and nervous chatter made him grimace a few times. He never said anything to her, but Carth knew that her uneasiness made him uneasy. It was like a chain reaction. Once or twice he would set her down and make her help him tune up the swoop bike just so she would have somewhere to place her thoughts.

As for the rest of the crew, they were out exploring Dantooine and her endless plains of grass. Bastila was the only one who was gone as much as Samirah was. From what he had gathered she was assisting Samirah in her training and offering her constant guidance. Carth couldn't really say that he envied Samirah for that. What worried him the most was that there was no way that she was getting a good night's sleep, not with that schedule of hers. Who could? It seemed nearly impossible. How long until she collapsed from complete exhaustion?

Carth had occupied himself with notes and current news but it wasn't enough. His blaster could only be tuned so much and there was only so much information he could memorize. Dantooine was a nice contrast from Taris but it was a simple planet with nothing but homestead after homestead—there was nothing else. He was seated in the main hold of the _Ebon Hawk,_ multiple datapads laid out before him, across the table. He had been keeping up to date on the events outside of Dantooine but nothing vital. Nothing to keep him very occupied for long.

Samirah was nowhere to be seen.

He kept half expecting her to walk up the hangar with that childish grin on her face and smudge marks on her cheeks. Her hands clasped behind her back as she half sprinted and half danced to the main hold to inform him of some adventure that they would be embarking on. He had told himself he would stop expecting her arrival but his eyes kept betraying him. They would always stray towards the hallway that led to the hangar, waiting for the echo of footsteps that would announce her arrival.

"Um, Carth?" The sudden voice startled him, making him drop the datapad in his hands. His eyes darted away from the hallway to see Mission gazing at him with a worried expression. He chuckled as she picked up the datapad and handed it back to him, taking the seat across from him. "Man, you look like you've been seeing ghost or somethin'…" She said a little unsure.

Carth cracked a smile, knowing full well he must seem jumpy to her. It just wasn't the same without Samirah constantly around. He hadn't realized how accustomed he had become to having her around, that child-like attitude she always had, but mature enough to still know what had to be done. She was unlike any other he had come across before, even with their constant bantering. It was just a part of the relationship they had. He could hardly believe that he… _missed_ her companionship.

"No, no ghost this time. What are you doing here? I thought you were accompanying T3 around?" She shrugged, leaning forward with a grimace.

"I was until he caught sight of Bastila! I think he likes her better than me and I take better care of him!" She protested with a pout.

"Bastila? So I take it you saw Samirah then?" He tried to make it sound like idle conversation but the look Mission gave him made him realize it didn't.

"So I'm not the only one who misses her…" She grinned but it was replaced with another frown as she continued. "No, Sami wasn't there. Bastila said she needed time to_ connect with the force on a higher level._"She finished in a mock voice of their Jedi friend.

Carth chuckled again before he settled back into his thoughts. A higher level? What did that mean? What was it supposed to mean? Was that their way of saying she had a free day? A break? Then why wasn't she back at the _Ebon Hawk?_ Was she avoiding them on purpose? Now, why would she do that?

Mission rolled her eyes as she watched his face scrunch up in deep thought. She was pretty sure it would take a screaming Wookiee to break him away from his thoughts—an experiment she would have to test later on. She pushed herself away from the table and slid up to the food synthesizer. She had been eating at the local Cantina—if you could call it that—and didn't feel like going back. She had pissed off another local merchant but it wasn't her fault this time. He legitimately lost his pouch of credits. She had no hand in it all.

Mostly.

As she began to work the machine, holding her bowl beneath its dispenser, a pale blue-green substance spurted out. Her face scrunched up in disgust as she peered into the bowl. It smelled like Big Z's breath so it made her that much more weary of this goop. She dipped her spoon into the contents and was hesitant to take a bite… wasn't it even edible? Big Z had said the yellow goop was… _okay_ but not fabulous.

This wasn't yellow. Did it even taste the same? Did she want to test it?

She slowly placed the spoon full of goo into her mouth and when it touched her tongue, she nearly gagged, spitting the vile mixture out. Carth's head snapped up at her sudden outburst of Twi'lekian curses—at least, he thought that's what she was saying. He quickly got up to check on her only to see the spoon clatter on the floor, the blue-green substance splattering along the edges of the wall.

"What _is_ that! I thought you and Sami fixed it!" She spat endlessly in hopes of getting rid of the after taste. It was grimy and tasted like sand with a mix of metal and some other taste that, quite frankly, she didn't want to know what it was.

"We also explained that we didn't have all the necessary parts so… for now, this is what we have to deal with." He said with a grin as he watched her grimace deepen, shoving the bowl away from her.

She would be better off at the Cantina. Even with that angry merchant hanging about.

"I, uh, think I'll try my luck elsewhere. Thanks though…" She said a little guiltily making Carth chuckle. He understood. It wouldn't be his meal of choice either. He didn't even dare to try it. After seeing Samirah and now Mission try it—he would cut his losses.

Mission didn't waste any more time before she hurried off in search of better food. She might even run into Zaalbar while she was at it—forget _might,_ it was almost guaranteed that he would be there. Big Z could always be found within reach of food, whether he was hungry or not and he was _always _hungry.

Carth picked up her spoon to examine the goop with disdain. He was always relying on Samirah to do things. He was always looking to her to fix his problems. Find Bastila. Escape Taris. Find the codes. Find a ship. Even fixing this food synthesizer; it didn't matter what, he was always looking to her to find a way out, to find a solution. Even now, she was becoming a Jedi just so they could stop the Sith and so that she could better serve the Republic. Doing something that she didn't want to do and had every intention of defying but giving in at the end of the day. Why couldn't he function on his own? It never used to be this way.

_He _never used to be this way.

It was infuriating that she had become his crutch—his ace in the whole.

He tossed the spoon aside, not caring what happened to it as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to leave the ship. He needed to get some fresh air, away from the ship. If he stared at another datapad about how the Republic was being pushed back, he swore he would lose whatever bit of sanity he had left. He descended down the hangar, flinching as the first ray of light struck his eyes. He hadn't realized how long he had been cooped up inside the _Ebon Hawk. _He wasn't even counting the days he had been aboard the _Ebon Hawk,_ anxious to find out anything new—whether it was about the war or Samirah's training.

There was no real use moping about it, but he couldn't shake that helpless feeling he had. He also had this… ominous feeling welling up inside. It was like he was missing something. His gut was telling him that he was on a whole other starship compared to Samirah. Hell, even with the rest of the crew. He kicked at a rock and watched as it skidded across the surface of the landing zone. As he moved through the academy, he kicked the stone repeatedly, an object to keep himself content.

Now that he was finally getting away from the ship, what was he supposed to do? Mission had said that Samirah might be meditating or doing some other Jedi exercises. Should he seek her out? Make sure she's doing all right? It had been… well, it had been several weeks since he last saw her so she had to be close to being a Jedi. Had she changed any? That was one of the things she had feared about becoming a Jedi. That by trying to rid her of emotion she would no longer be the same person. She was fine the way she was and she was content to lead her life the way she had been doing since before all of this started. Now, Carth was worried about finding her at all.

Maybe his presence would be unwelcomed.

As he started to pass by the library, he glanced briefly inside and then did a double take to make sure he was seeing right. He peered inside as a grin stretched across his face. Figures.

Samirah was seated at one of the tables with several books and datapads piled up around her. They were stacked neatly, some opened up at various pages. The only problem was that she wasn't exactly reading them. Her head was rested against one of the open books with one of her arms beneath her head acting as a pillow. The other hand was slightly above her head, on top of a book directly above the other, also opened on a certain page. She had well over twenty books and datapads spread out across her table, her hair falling neatly over her face.

He simple watched her for several more moments, not ready to wake her up. He glanced at one of the books that read _Tranquility of the Mind. _His eyes skimmed over the spines of several books, reading each title: _Peace over Power, Justice in the Order, Right from Wrong, Meditations of the Council, The Jedi Lore and Tales._ All books and datapads that pertained to the Jedi and their ways… well, mostly. Only two books stood out from them all: _Mechanical Devices at the Root _and _Working with Scraps._ Carth was puzzled by these seemingly odd choices but wasn't that surprised. Why would she be studying this kind of thing when her focus should be on her training and completing it?

As he scrunched up his brow in thought, still studying the titles of each book, a young apprentice behind him was walking by with a stack of datapads in his arms. He couldn't see where he was going and ended up tripping over a few books that had been piled up beside the table—books that more than likely belonged to Samirah. He fell forward, collapsing on the floor as his datapads went flying and crashing on the hard floor. His hands shot out to catch himself as he let out a small cry of shock. Carth made the motion to try and catch the datapads even though he knew he was too far away. The sudden commotion made Samirah's head snap up as she jumped out of her chair so fast, she knocked it over.

"Not another step!" She shouted her hand shooting out as a book flew from the table. Carth ducked as it crashed into the wall behind him and she immediately retracted her arm in shock. "Carth!"

"Expecting someone else?" He joked as he picked up the book and placed it back on the table. She was using the Force now? He wasn't expecting that at all… at least not yet.

The young apprentice, who had fallen, glanced nervously at her as Carth moved to help him recollect the datapads. He fumbled with them before scurrying away from Samirah. Her eyes followed him with a tired but apologetic expression. She didn't mean to snap but… she was just caught by surprise. She had yet to relax at the academy, still certain there was some conspiracy that she had yet to figure out.

"Yes. No. Maybe. Forgive me…I—"She rubbed her eyes before she realized who she was talking too and her head snapped up to look at the unexpected visitor. "Where did you come from!" She said in surprise. Carth couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face.

"Does it matter? You were asleep when I found you." Her face turned red when she realized she was still in the library. Carth grinned as he set her chair back up for her. She hadn't changed all that much and he was surprised to find that he felt… relieved at that small discovery.

Her eyes drifted back down to the table and she remembered what she had been doing before she fell asleep and suddenly felt frantic to finish. How long was she asleep? How much time had passed?

"Oh no, I still have so much to do…" she breathed out quickly.

She sat back down, stifling a yawn but unable to thwart its attempts to escape. She was extremely tired but she still had many, many things left to do. She glanced back at all of her items and just felt overwhelmed. She didn't have time to sleep, she needed to learn and study all of these. She began to open up a couple of the books, quickly flipping through the pages, scrolling through datapads and momentarily forgetting about Carth's presence as he sat down across from her. Her eyes searching the lengths of the pages for clues, hidden meanings, wisdom; scanning the datapads for more information—whatever they had to offer. She needed to learn as much as she could and as quickly as she could. She needed to complete these tests but she needed to be well prepared for whatever he presents her.

"You seem to be… adapting well enough… You almost fit in now, it would seem." Carth observed but something about the way he spoke made Samirah pause in her motions. She slowly lifted her head to meet Carth's eyes, actually seeing him this time. Not just acknowledging him. His hair was a ruffled mess, the stubble visible around his chin and his eyes—they looked tired and yet for some reason… content… relieved even. Why?

"What do you mean?" She asked slowly, not grasping what he was saying. He folded his arms over the table, leaning in as he observed the books instead of meeting her gaze.

"I mean—you seem to be doing well. We rarely see you anymore and it just made us a little anxious about you." He stated awkwardly. He had wanted to seek her out but now that he was here… what was he supposed to say?

"_We? Us?_ So… you were worried, too?_"_ She wasn't sure what she was asking but it caught Carth by surprise. Apparently he hadn't been expecting the question. Truth be told—she wasn't either. She just found herself asking him, looking for an answer but no knowing what she was wanting from it.

For a moment, they were silent. A book in her hands, opened up to some page but the last thing on her mind was the book. She was waiting anxiously for Carth to respond. He was struggling to say something, trying to put his thoughts into words. At one point, he started to respond but thought better of it. After several more minutes, he found his answer.

"Mission and the others." He clarified finally and Samirah felt her heart drop a bit. "They were worried since they don't see you very often."He offered lamely.

She averted her eyes and mentally kicked herself for hoping. What was she expecting? That he would actually miss having her around? Of course not. Why should she hope that anything would be different? They would only have bickered more and more. If anything, their relationship was a bit shaky at times, unstable even.

"Oh. Okay, then. Tell them… there's no need to worry. I just have a lot on my plate right now." She said with a small smile, but refusing to look at him as she began reading the pages trying hard not to show her disappointment.

Carth could feel the awkwardness like a fog between them. Why didn't he just speak honestly? He was worried. He was honestly worried. Was that something to be ashamed of? Was there a reason why he shouldn't worry about her? Was it because she was going to be a Jedi? If it was, then that would have been a very lame reason for not being honest. It didn't even make sense. His mind was tumbling together into a mess of thoughts so he opted for ignoring it for now. Just keep talking. Take your mind off of it. Take her mind off of it.

"A lot on your plate? Like what?" Get her talking. Get her to say something so that the awkward moment could pass.

Luckily it worked.

She leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms out and letting each joint pop, her face cringing at each sound. She started to rub her neck, feeling the soreness from hunching over the books and datapads for so long and the endless training from Bastila and Master Zhar.

"Like what? You really want to know?" She gave him one last chance to walk away but he nodded his head. He couldn't say that she didn't warn him.

"I have so much to do, Carth, it's endless. A man wants to erect revenge for his daughter's death at the hands of several Mandalorians who were plaguing the area; a woman lost her droid—which, mind you, she's a bit obsessed with it if I may be so bold to say—and then there's this problem with the Kath hounds and the problem with the Sandal's and Matale's children which has erupted into a family feud. Don't even get me started on them—they have gone a step too far. I have to lightsabers and the different effects of each crystal before I can construct my lightsaber using the Force and then whatever task they require of me! And be damned if I don't fix that food synthesizer on the ship! I tried a bite earlier hoping that the taste had improved but in fact, it had gotten worse! Worse! I didn't think that was possible but apparently I was wrong! I will fix that damn thing even if I have to construct my own components to do so! I'm but one woman, not an army like they think! But I have to do something to solve all these problems and I'm sure there are plenty more to do!" She finished in a near rant as she let out a big sigh, messaging the temples of her head.

Carth blinked, not realizing how much she was trying to do. Did she ever relax? Did she even know what a vacation was? Well, he was probably the last person who should saying anything about relaxing but hey, that didn't mean he couldn't be concerned. She was trying to fix the food synthesizer? That was still on her priority list? She was right—she wasn't an army and yet she was trying to tackle so many tasks at once. She couldn't possibly do all of that and keep her sanity. She looked exhausted. No better than the morning she went to go see the council and never returned… at least that's what it felt like. It was like nothing had changed since that morning. She couldn't possibly do all of this on her own and in that state.

Then a light bulb went off in his head.

"Let us help." She looked at him suspiciously.

"Say what?"

"Let us take on some of those tasks. We've all been bored out of our minds sitting on the ship and doing nothing. I believe Canderous is going stir crazy and about to rip that swoop bike to shreds." She narrowed her eyes.

"He wouldn't _dare." _Carth just chuckled.

"You haven't seen the looks he's been giving that bike. I'm sure he'd be up for taking care of your Mandalorian problem and maybe even the Kath hounds. Mission, Zaalbar and I can take care of the rest. The droid, the two families and perhaps the food synthesizer." He offered, leaning back in his chair as she stayed quiet for a few moments, thinking it through.

"No." His eyebrow shot up in uncertainty.

"No?" He thought it was a good idea. What was wrong with it? She just shook her head.

"The Food synthesizer is mine. That damn machine wants to be stubborn? Fine. I won't go down without a fight." Her face was dead serious and Carth struggled to stifle his laugh. She_ was_ serious. Apparently she liked the challenge this machine was giving her so he would let her have her fun. "The rest would be greatly appreciated though… you don't understand how grateful I am for the help." She said with a smile.

He smiled back, a feeling of self-satisfaction welling up inside of him. So this is the feeling she got every time she helped someone. Was this why she did it so often? To feel content with herself? It was a rather nice feeling to know that he could unload some of the burden on her shoulders and even more gratifying was that she was letting him. She wasn't fighting him, she wasn't arguing—she accepted his help. They may not always agree, but he felt that there was this small grain of trust between them. She trusted him to help her and… well, did he trust her to help him?

He stopped his thoughts there, cutting them off. He didn't have an answer for that question and he didn't want to dwell on something that could ruin his mood.

Perhaps he didn't want to look for an answer.

He, instead, watched Samirah with a content smile as she studied the many books and datapads, mumbling words under her breath. He was fairly certain she was doing it unconsciously but he made no attempt to correct her or notify her. As far as he knew, she had forgotten him again and was enthralled in her string of information and higher learning. It was still fairly early so he could leave whenever he wanted to in order to contact the others about their new tasks. They were in no real hurry—well Canderous might be. Samirah seemed a bit defensive of that swoop bike so if Canderous tarnished it, she was sure to bring havoc upon them.

Carth remained silent a few moments longer, skimming over one of the many datapads before her to get a gist of the kind of thing she was being taught. He only grimaced over bits and pieces that didn't really appeal to him. They had so many restrictions and so many laws that they had to know and abide by that he wondered if Samirah could even do such a thing! _Overcome arrogance, overcome overconfidence, overcome aggression—_Weren't these human nature to begin with? They expected a great deal of their members.

Carth shook his head as he plopped the datapad back on the table, startling Samirah from her intense concentration. She looked at him, almost surprised to find him still there. He stood up from the chair as quietly as he could and shot her a quick smile.

"Take care of yourself." That was the best farewell he could come up with before he walked quickly out of the library, leaving Samirah to stare at him with her brows knitted together.

Did she do something wrong? She let out a long sigh before slowly returning back to her studies, her mood falling just the tiniest bit. She felt a little nervous around him while he watched her study, but she also felt… well, content. Safe, even. It was silence, but it was a comfortable silence. His presence was just a comfort she hadn't realized she missed until it was gone. These several weeks, she was constantly being drilled. The Jedi code. Jedi Techniques with the lightsaber. What one must lose. What one must gain.

_Conquer curiosity. Conquer aggression._

_Honor your promises. Honor your master._

She had to know these things, she had to learn them. Not only that, but she had to be their embodiment. She had to know what and demonstrate qualities that other Jedi had spent years mastering. Master Zhar explained to her that the moment she left Dantooine with a lightsaber strapped to her belt, she would be looked upon in a new light. She was no longer a scout. She was no longer another Republic ensign. She was a Jedi and thus she must represent the order.

_Defend the weak. Render aid to those who need it. Provide support where needed._

_Practice honesty. Honor life. Honor the law._

_Conquer defeatism. Conquer stubbornness._

Things she had always known and done, but with a new light shown over them. There was just so much. So much she needed to study. Master Zhar had also told her that when she was ready… she needed to construct her lightsaber with the force. She was tested and found that she was better suited as a Jedi Consular. A Jedi who seeks to bring balance to the universe—mediating between other groups, using their powers to end conflict and preserve peace. The Crystal code she was to recite in her mind as she constructed her lightsaber with the power of the Force.

_The crystal is the heart of the blade._

_The heart is the crystal of the Jedi._

_The Jedi is the crystal of the Force._

_The Force is the blade of the heart._

_All are intertwined._

_The crystal, the blade, the Jedi._

_We are one._

She pulled the green crystal from her pocket to examine it closely, feeling the power of the Force hum through it softly. Master Zhar had explained that the Crystal code was a tradition used when constructing the lightsaber. Traditionally, the master would recite it as the Padawan constructed the blade but it was no longer used since the new method was for the Padawan's to construct it in solitude—in peace.

She pocketed the crystal and continued reading, soaking up as much as she could before she attempted to construct her blade. She had been commended for being such a quick learner during their sessions and she was bound to keep it up. She wasn't giving up that easily nor was she going to fall behind. She had no other choice but to be a Jedi and she was going to try her best. They were wrong though, if they thought she was going to give up being a scout. It was just too much fun exploring other planets. Just conceal the lightsaber and everything was the way it was before.

Except that she could use the Force.

And that she used a lightsaber.

Okay, not exactly the way it was before but close enough.

... The Jedi just had to have their way. She frowned, stuffing her nose back into her book to drive away her now severely dampened mood. She still had a lightsaber to construct after all.

* * *

"Master Zhar!" She shouted in the chambers, bursting through the door in barely contained excitement. He spun around in surprise at her sudden entrance. She sprinted across the chamber, earning disapproving glances from Vrook and yet, approving ones from Vandar and Dorak. She ran to Zhar like a little child with her arms swaying and her elbows pulled into her sides—the perfect image of a school girl.

She had spent the entire day before in the library studying until she fell asleep on the table again. When she had awoken—surprisingly on the _Ebon Hawk—_she was frantic about the books and datapads. When she returned, she found that someone had been kind enough to put them back for her. She had read and studied as much as she could so attempted to construct her lightsaber as Master Zhar had instructed.

And now was the moment of truth.

"Apprentice Samirah, what are you—"She thrusted her hand out to him to reveal her lightsaber, constructed together in one piece. He looked at her cautiously before gingerly picking it up and switching it on away from her, letting the green light shoot from the handle.

He swung the blade around, testing its movement, its light, its weight and even for lose pieces that had been incorrectly assembled. He was very impressed to find none. She was smiling, about ready to burst from anticipation as he examined the blade excessively if only to satisfy his own curiosity. After several moments of twirling and balancing, he smiled as he handed it back.

"You have done extremely well in constructing your lightsaber, apprentice. Your crystal seems to have been set perfectly. It is rare indeed for that to happen the first time one constructs their lightsaber." She jumped up and down in joy, so proud of herself.

The studying paid off!

"Be wary of pride, apprentice." He warned and she ceased her jumping quickly before bowing. He was right, pride could be a bad thing but it wasn't like she could eradicate it like that. That wasn't something she could so easily do so suddenly but she would try to do so in front of her master.

"Yes, master." She replied in a mono tone, pushing her excitement aside for the time being. There would be time to celebrate the momentous accomplishment later—she hoped. A hot tea would be nice.

"Your lightsaber identifies you as a member of the Jedi Order. With such recognition comes honor and respect… and the attention of dangerous enemies." He warned sternly and she nodded thoughtfully. "The Sith and Dark Jedi will seek to destroy you, apprentice. And you must prove yourself worthy in battle against a foe who also wields a lightsaber." He waited a moment as his words sank in. After several minutes of contemplation she nodded slowly and Zhar continued.

"Apprentice, you know the Jedi code. _There is no death, there is the Force. _You have constructed your lightsaber to perfection and now have your insignia that ties you to the Jedi—to the council. Are you ready to face the final challenge, apprentice?" She gulped, feeling a little nervous by his sudden seriousness. There was no smile greeting her this time.

This was it. She made it this far in her training. Weeks of studying, meditating and battling with Bastila over which way the Jedi robes were supposed to be folded. Samirah swore you folded the right side over the left side but Bastila argued the point. She folded left over right which simply felt weird for Samirah.

But that was beside the point.

"Yes, master. I am ready to face the third trial." She said with a new face of determination. She was going to make him proud. He nodded as he began to pace back and forth, centering his thoughts before speaking of her final challenge.

"For every Jedi the threat of the dark side is always present. You must truly understand this before you are accepted into the Order. You must see the corruption of the dark side for yourself. Even here on Dantooine there are places where the dark side holds sway, twisting and tainting nature itself."

"Can you not rid yourself of this taint? Can you not chase it away?" She asked. In a place such as Dantooine, a place full of so much power, could they not overcome it? Zhar shook his head solemnly, still slowly pacing from one end to the other.

"It is not so simple, apprentice. If it were so easy to erase, would the Sith not have fallen by now? The taint is like a shadow—no matter where the light is, there will always be a shadow lurking somewhere. There is always a place for it to hide. Remember this—once the taint is there, it can be moved and pushed away but it is never gone." He spoke wisely and she noted to remember his words.

"Yes, master." She nodded, keeping quiet so that he may continue.

"The Ancient Grove once used for deep meditation by the Jedi is now tainted, a wave of darkness perverts the region around it. The Kath hounds in the area have become savage and ruthless—this you know." She nodded, thinking back to Carth's promise of handling it. "The Kath hounds in the area have been a threat to settlers, a threat the Jedi have promised to stop and a promise that has been kept. Someone has begun to fight them back." He looked pointedly at her, letting it be known that he knew of her actions but not exactly disapproving. "But that is not all."

"What would you have me do? Kill them all?" She said, slightly horrified but he shook his head. He stopped before her, his hands held behind his back, his stern but gently face gazing at her with a smile.

"No, young one. The Kath hounds are but a symptom of the true problem. You must journey into the grove and confront the true source of the darkness. That is your task." She blinked several times, waiting for the rest but it did not come. His face remained passive and blank, betraying nothing else.

"That's it?" He nodded curtly and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She knew there was more. "You know more than you are letting on, Master." She said quietly and he smirked.

"I can say no more; some things you must see for yourself. None of the other Jedi at the academy are permitted to help you in this task." His smile fell as he went back to being serious and wise. "But remember this, my young apprentice: a Jedi acts with patience and care, and those on the dark path are not always lost forever. The dark side still taints the Ancient Grove. Your lessons cannot continue until the spreading corruption of the dark side has been stopped.

"This is your task, apprentice. May the Force be with you." He finished somberly.

She hesitated to a moment, waiting a extra few seconds before bowing her head and murmuring the saying back to him. She quietly removed herself from the room they had spent countless days in—training her mind, her body and her will. She felt a little lost, walking away without real direction. She was given small words of wisdom but what was she to do with them? She had no real way of preparing for any of this.

Walking past the other masters, she couldn't help but feel their gaze on her as she walked away slowly and slightly unsure. Master Vrook's gaze ever so stern and condescending whenever he caught sight of her. He believed that she was moving too quickly through her training… and maybe she was. She had years to make up for—years of training boiled down to weeks of teaching. At first, she thought she was going to die from it all but soon it became routine. Bastila was constantly at her side and was surprisingly… patient for the most part. Walking her through it step by step and giving her guidance like a master would give his Padawan.

She didn't think Bastila was capable of such… kindness.

So this was where she was. She was on the verge of officially joining the order and all she had to do was rid an ancient grove of some sort of taint. She felt a little nervous at the idea but also excited. This was it. This was her final test. She walked out into the courtyard of the Academy as Apprentices and Padawan's hurried along their daily routine, saying pleasantries to one another and even to her. She had been accepted by them and welcomed with open arms. She… fit in.

At first, she was afraid of becoming a Jedi and to a degree, she still was. She wasn't used to fitting in somewhere or even having people to rely on. Being a scout was a solitary life. Being a Jedi kind of is, but not to the same extent. She could have people to aide her, guide her and even befriend her. She closed her eyes briefly and lifted her head, willing the Force to guide her. As a Jedi, the Force would be her greatest companion.

_Rely on the Force. It is your ally. It is you. Rely on it and let it guide you and it shall never lead you astray. It will lead you to where you are meant to be. To do what you are meant to do._

Words that had been read, words that had been spoken and words that would prove most wise in her times of need. It felt… natural. Like this was where she belonged and that being a scout was only the stepping stone to where she belonged. Why had she feared it? Why did the idea of joining the Order seem so… preposterous? She felt silly for making such a fuss. It was ridiculous of her to have acted in such a way. Before, she had never truly understood the Force but now… now she felt this _connection_ to it. A connection to the Force that thrummed against her heart in a rhythmic motion—it was unlike anything she could have ever realized.

The Force was a part of her.

_That is most unwise… I must argue the point…_

_You have our final decision. We will not waver on our verdict so abandon the thought..._

She flinched as the words echoed through her head making her grimace. The dreams, visions, the void—whatever you wanted to call it—it was still there. But they had grown. The images more vivid, the sounds echoing even louder in her ears and not just when she slept, but when she was awake. She didn't tell the council because she was fairly certain they would write it off as more visions dealing with her connection to the Force. Why pester them about something they already knew? She wasn't sure what the Force was doing or what it was trying to accomplish, but it was very inconvenient if she was going to start removing taints from ancient groves.

The voices or visions weren't painful at all, just disorienting. It was like someone was right beside her, whispering into her ear. Her skin would crawl with goose bumps and the side of her neck would tickles as if someone had barely touched her but was close enough to the skin to cause that tickling sensation. She rubbed her neck in response, blinking her eyes open and glancing around to make sure that she wasn't being watched or stared at.

_May the Force guide me and lead me where I belong. Direct me in the right direction…_ She thought, directing her words to the Force as footsteps sounded behind her. When she turned to move out of their way, her eyes found Carth Onasi walking towards her.

That was quick. And not exactly what she had in mind.

"_The Force must have a sense of humor…" _She said under her breath as he walked up to her, his hands at his side, his blaster strapped around his waist.

"Samirah!" He said happily. "Your tasks have been completed—save for the family feud. I now know what you meant when you talked about them earlier. They wouldn't speak with anyone outside of the order. Can't really blame them, I suppose. They are having a rough time." He said as his smile turned into a frown.

So, this was where the Force wanted her to go? To Carth Onasi? She crossed her arms and appraised him where he stood. He shifted uncomfortably under her intense gaze, looking at her a little puzzled. Well, the Force knew was it was doing right? Make use of what you've got.

"What?" He said suspiciously. She grinned slightly as it came together. Vrook said that other apprentices couldn't help her… but what of her companions? Unless Carth was instructed _not_ to help her… he could.

"Are you free? You're not too busy are you? I could use your help on… a little mission I have." He raised an eyebrow at her suspiciously but it only made her grin widen.

Yes, she believed having him at her side would make things go a bit smoother. If nothing else, his moral support was greatly welcomed. She didn't exactly want to go off on her own; it had been too long since she had hung out with the crew. He may not have missed her company… but she missed his. When he was reluctant to respond, she grabbed his hand and towed him along with her, laughing lightly.

"Oh, come on flyboy. The fresh air can't hurt." She pulled him along, a shocked look registering on his face at her sudden brashness. She suddenly realized that she had gone for his hand instead of his arm or shoulder. Why did she grab his hand? Oh no. That was a bad idea but it was too late to just let go or drop it. It might make it awkward. But then, so did holding on. Did she need to let go? Keep holding on?

No, she was over thinking this. Why did holding his hand have to mean anything at all?

It didn't mean anything—the grabbing of his hand. He wouldn't follow her otherwise, right? She had to pull him along. There was nothing that should insinuate otherwise.

It didn't mean anything.

It was just a gesture.

Nothing else…

… And if that was true… why did it make her heart flutter and her cheeks turn a light shade pink? She could feel them get warm as her thought process continued but she couldn't just let go of his hand. She didn't look back at him, nervous about the slight blush that arose on her cheeks. Why did she have to over think this? There was nothing to over think!

… It meant nothing. It never would. It was fine.

She didn't even know what she blubbering on about in her mind.

_Focus on the taint and nothing else. Nothing else matters, not now. Focus Samirah. Focus._

That's what she would tell herself.

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**Done! Hopefully this wasn't a let down. It wasn't exactly my favorite chapter but it wasn't like I could skip over it. I had a few bits here that I liked but overall, not a favorite lol but, I also hope that you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think. I'm setting a goal for myself. If I don't update ATLEAST every friday, then I have to put $10 dollars in a Jar and I can't touch the jar until I'm done with this story O.o so give me the strength to post every friday guys! If I post earlier then I can eat ice cream- otherwise, that's also a penalty lol so give me the support to stay dedicated or I'll be anti-Ice cream and money for a while lol and money is a good thing to have!**

**Oh and btw, Dragon Age II? My word, Fenris... I didn't think I'd fall for him but I am head over heels for this elf. My soul mate. For ever more. If you haven't played the game- do it! It is a must. I like Anders, I really do but I think I would have to chose Fenris each time. *Dreamy sigh*. Ok, enough of my chatter. If you've read all of this (including the story above thus far lol) props to you guys! You make me feel special and thus, you are my heroes! ^-^**

**Thanks for the support and until next time, May the Force be with you! ;)**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	18. Chapter 17: Don't Forget the Mercy

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or anything pertaining to the Star Wars universe. I do own this cupcake. Because I ate. So it's mine. **

**Yay! Update! So far so good, right? I was trying to update early but I had a few complications on my end lol. No, not writers block just difficulties. And I have been threatened that if i don't update that some people will take over lol so I promise to be good and update as soon as I can! My goal is to update before each Friday (Friday is my absolute deadline before I have to start dropping money into a jar. X( **

**Enough of my drabble, here is the story! Enjoy!**

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**Don't Forget the Mercy**

"_The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed- It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes."_

The Kath hound charged at Mission, her blade already interlocked with another hound that was trying its hardest to practically eat her face. She tried her hardest to disengage the hound in order to avoid the other one that was racing towards her. The hound snarled with the blade between its teeth as she tried to push him away and avoid the other hounds charge. When she couldn't break free without risking an attack from either one she flinched, prepared for the inevitable.

A blaster sounded as the Kath Hound charging her fell forward in a heap.

Mission took that opportunity to use all of her strength to knock the Kath hound away from her. She pushed with all her might as she successfully pushed the creature back a few feet. It skidded, snarling as slobber shook from its snout before charging at her again. She dodged at the last second, rolling to the side but not before holding her sword out as it slid across both thighs on the right side of the creature. She fell over as it howled in rage, stumbling before collapsing and trying to get back up. Its head snapped around to look at Mission as he scrambled and stumbled towards her before a blaster shot stopped his progression.

Mission sat in the grass, breathing heavily as Samirah finished off her own group of hounds. She spun around and hurried over to check on Mission, worry etched into her features.

"Mish, are you alright?" She asked with her eyebrows knitted together. Mission raised an eyebrow at Samirah, half a smile on her face.

"Why am I here again?" She asked rhetorically and Samirah smiled.

"Because you missed me." Mission jabbed her in the ribs making her flinch but laugh as Carth trotted up next to them. Samirah gave Mission a quick half hug before helping her to stand. "If you don't want to keep going with us, you can return. It's not too late—especially since we've practically cleared the way." Mission rolled her eyes.

"As if. I'm not leaving you two alone for a minute." Samirah's cheeks turned a bright shade of red as her eyes went wide in shock. For a moment she was speechless as Mission continued, shooting Samirah a knowing and yet devilish smile. "You two would get into more trouble than you could handle without me around."

Carth laughed.

"Mission, you know we couldn't do this without you." Samirah didn't even meet his eyes but instead, kept them focused on Mission.

"Y-yeah." Samirah agreed, not missing the Twi'leks smirks. Samirah quickly turned to lead the way, trying to hide her blushes from him.

It was silly to blush over something like that. What did Mission think she knew? She didn't know anything because there was nothing to know! There was nothing between her and Carth save for friendship. Nothing more, nothing—okay, sometimes there was something _less_. But that wasn't the point. Mission seemed to be insinuating that Samirah had some other emotion towards the pilot other than companionship. Not the companionship that required… well, a certain _feeling_ she didn't dare mention. She didn't have that feeling. Of course not.

But then… if she didn't, why was she even thinking about it.

There was nothing to think about!

It shouldn't even be a thought!

She slapped the side of her head in frustration at her circle of thoughts. She was making this more difficult than it should have been. When they found Mission, she had realized they were still holding hands and had quickly pulled her hand away, earning a curious glance from Carth but he didn't seem to think much more of it. She wasn't sure what Mission had thought. She had only stared at Samirah for a moment longer than necessary and smiled briefly before they told her about their plans of going to the ancient grove.

Surely she didn't see something that wasn't there.

Because it wasn't there, right?

Samirah didn't know. If she kept this up, she was bound to drive herself around in circles. There was nothing to think about because it was _nothing_ and that was the end of it. She was just going to focus on their goal and that was to fix the taint in the grove.

Carth and Mission watched from behind as Samirah fidgeted. It was probably a good thing that her lightsaber wasn't in her hand because she would have hit herself in the face with it. They exchanged curious glances, debating internally on whether or not it was safe to speak. Mission had a pretty good idea what she was thinking about and couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her lips. It was too easy to tease her. Samirah tended to over think the small things and Carth was just too dense! She mildly wondered how he ever made it so far in the Republic. She absentmindedly twirled her vibroblade in the hand away from Carth and Samirah to avoid hitting them.

When they had come to greet her, she was ecstatic to finally see Sami. She was even more so to find her hand clasped around Carth's. It was only an inkling of a feeling that had the gears turning in her head. Maybe it was Mission's turn to start over-thinking things, maybe it was just a moment of excitement that had her holding his hand—an unconscious thought, perhaps? Carth didn't think much of it but Sami seemed to be a little on the shy side. It may be simple friendship but Mission knew this was something she was going to have to keep an eye on. To be more accurate, a _someone_.

Carth kept his hand rested on his blaster and kept as alert as he could. These Kath hounds were prepared. Some didn't care if they were out in the open, easy to spot because once they saw the threat, they charged without a hesitant thought. Others liked to lurk in hidden areas—around the bushes, the brush, the hills and even the few scattered trees. They were hunters. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.

Well, he couldn't anyway.

Samirah and Mission seemed to be in deep thought about something. To be more precise, Mission looked like she had discovered a secret while Samirah was rubbing her forehead and scrunching her eyebrows together in frustration. He couldn't stop the frown from forming on his face. He was out of the loop again. He was beginning to think there was more than one loop and that they were all just simply orbiting around him, out of reach. Was he just being paranoid or was there some secret circulating around everyone? He would feel better if someone would just fill him in on everything. There had to be secrets that were being kept from him.

His eyes were focused on the back of Samirah's head, his frown deepening as he tried to think of a way to extract these secrets. To finally be back in the loop with everyone else. He deserved to know, right? He had helped them get this far, right?

No. It wasn't him. It was Samirah.

Did that mean he was useless now? She was a Jedi now so she had even _more_ power at her disposal. Was he even needed now? He wasn't told anything anymore—hell, they hardly even interacted. The Council had consumed all of her time and even now, she had her mind elsewhere. Why was he even here? Why did she want his company? She wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for—

He suddenly felt shameful for thinking like that. She had long repaid that debt in ten fold. She had done more for him and the others than he had in return. He chuckled to himself in disgust thinking back on how all he had given her was grief and doubt. Any words of comfort he may have given her had been eradicated; been replaced by words of distrust, uncertainty, suspicion and skepticism on her every action. He couldn't really blame her from wanting to hold things back from him, right?

Then why did it irritate him? Why did the thought of her holding something back bother him so much?

He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't see the Kath hound racing at him from the side. His guard had been let down in his stream of the thoughts, leaving him vulnerable to an attack. Samirah had sensed the unwelcome presence the moment it began to charge. It was like a sharp jab through her mind that made her move rather than think. She spun around, tackling Carth to the ground before the Kath hound could make contact. He missed them by inches as he nearly hit Mission—the next victim in his line of sight. Samirah didn't even pause a moment before she yanked Carth's blaster from the holster and pointed it at the Kath hound. The Kath hound had skidded to a halt before spinning around and snarling at them. Mission had sidestepped the attack, preparing herself for a younger hound that had followed up but had gone around instead of charging.

The older hound raced for Samirah, her face calm as she aimed for the head. At the last moment, when she was sure her aim was aligned, she fired several shots into the flesh of the hound. It snarled again, shaking its head wildly before it howled and its face plummeted into the grass and going still. Mission had an easy fight with the younger, less agile hound that she quickly slain, letting out a soft sigh. Samirah lowered her arm as well as the blaster before looking down to make sure Carth was alright. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red when she realized she was still on top of him, her face inches from his. He just stared at her, still a little in shock as her face flared a bright shade of red. She immediately pushed herself up to get her face away from his and then realized she was now straddling him.

Oh for the love of—

Her face went an even deeper shade of red as she rolled herself off and back to her feet in one fluid motion.

"I-I'm so sorry, are you alright? I acted without thinking." She stammered, offering him her hand tentatively. It took Carth several moments to respond before he took her hand and was hoisted back up to his feet. As soon as he was back on his feet, Samirah smiled as she tried to calmly pull her hand free from his grasp.

"Yeah…I'm fine. Thanks for the… help." He finally said a little breathlessly. He was fighting a smirk at her sudden blush. Why was she blushing? She practically just saved his life.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to… well, you see… Here!" She nodded quickly before holding out his blaster to him. It was more like shoving it at him but none the less, he took it with a raised eyebrow. She averted her eyes only to meet a smirking Mission who was watching the whole thing unfold.

"Um, thanks. You don't have to apologize, you know." He said smirking at her. She was always apologizing. She didn't even need to and yet… here she was. She nodded her head slowly, the blush easy to see. Carth couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips at her embarrassment.

She quickly spun around and began moving again, Mission and Carth hurrying to keep up. Samirah mentally berated herself for being so easily embarrassed. He must think she was an idiot. Again, it was nothing. She was just trying to save his life so it was excusable, right? It wasn't like she tackled him for no reason. It was a legitimate reason that she should feel no shame for. That didn't erase her constant blushing so she tried to train her mind on finding the taint. Something—_Anything—_to keep her mind focused elsewhere.

And for a while, it worked.

They had been traveling for about an hour, searching the plains for any sign of the corruption. She figured they were getting closer because she felt little slivers of darkness slither across her mind. It was faint, but it was there. That meant they were getting closer. Once she found this taint, she would be a Jedi and hopefully allowed to leave the enclave. She missed traveling. She missed the adventure. She felt almost a little sad at the idea of being grounded forever. Never able to leave any given planet because it was the will of the Jedi that she stay in one place and practically become a hermit.

She didn't want to be a hermit.

They ended up being old… and crazy.

She didn't want to be old and crazy.

Not exactly her life goal.

They walked in silence as they traveled the plains, avoiding any Kath hounds they came across if possible. Carth had cleared his mind to keep his guard up. He didn't want to embarrass Samirah further, even if he couldn't figure out what had caused it. All she did was save his life. It was a simple matter, really. When he looked over at Mission, he caught her grinning at him for no apparent reason. She looked away but her grin still in place which made him furrow his brow.

What had he missed this time?

"We're close…" Samirah said quietly, drawing their attention back to their surroundings. The area hadn't really changed all that much but they still remained alert. They weren't sure what they were to expect but why tempt fate. Why tempt anything.

Samirah could feel the slight echoes of the taint across her mind. It felt like a thin sheet of velvet trying to wrap itself around her but she remained resilient. It was only a small taint. One that could not so easily sway her away from the light. She walked lightly across the grass to the grove. The grove itself looked like a small ruin. The ground was covered in uneven and broken stone and surrounded by broken pillars. Along the ground were several bodies that seemed to be the Mandalorians plaguing the land. At least, some of them. Canderous had yet to dispatch of them all, according to Carth so he was still out here somewhere but they had yet to come across him. So this couldn't have been his handiwork, could it?

"Sami… what exactly is this _taint_ you have to remove?" Mission questioned a little uncertain.

"We'll know when we see it." It was a vague answer but it was the best one Sami could offer. Something was here but she didn't know what. She could feel the taint cover the area like a light fog but it was faint. It wasn't a miasma of darkness but it was enough to cause problems for the enclave.

They stepped tentatively, Samirah flaring up her lightsaber and listening as it hummed with every slight movement she made. Mission had brandished her vibroblade and Carth was holding his blaster tightly, ready to fire if necessary. Samirah stayed ahead of them, crouching low as she approached the grove cautiously. She knelt down beside the corpse of a Mandalorian, feeling for a pulse but finding none. She knew better than to expect any life left in him, but what she didn't expect was to find his body still warm.

_He was killed recently… minutes ago even… this couldn't have been Canderous._

She glanced around the grove, trying to locate the target. It wasn't a simple target though, not an object filled with darkness but a being who was connected now with the dark side. A new thought presented itself to Samirah as she moved closer, nearly inside the grove. The taint must have been a Dark Jedi, laying low near the academy. Why would they send one now? What purpose was there for a Dark Jedi to be here? It was… foolish. Especially if there was only one and his connection was faint. It made no sense.

As she stepped onto the hard stone, her movements slow and prepared for anything, she sensed the movement to her right. She immediately twisted her lightsaber so that she was blocking the red lightsaber from her attacker. Her lightsaber sparked as they collided, putting as much force as they could into their attack in an attempt to overthrow each other. To Samirah's surprise, it was a woman who was dressed in Jedi robes—normal Jedi robes. Was she undercover? Did they do that? Was it possible? But her lightsaber was red so… did that mean…

Was she a Dark Jedi?

Carth aimed his blaster at the woman assaulting Samirah and when her eyes caught sight of him, her hand flew out to face him. In that instant, Carth found that he couldn't move. He couldn't pull the trigger. He couldn't shout to Samirah. He was frozen. It was like the Force was hugging him tightly, constricting him of any movements. Mission was beside him and when she started to move closer to help Samirah, her movements froze as well.

_What the hell's going on? Samirah!_

He panicked. If she was rendered useless like they now were… they'd all be in trouble. His only option was to watch the battle unfold before him, hoping that the woman didn't get the chance. Hoping that Samirah didn't give it to her.

Samirah's lightsaber flared and hummed with each swing as it collided with the strange woman before her. A Cathar if she was correct. She hadn't met very many Cathar on her journeys but she still knew who they were. Her attacks were angry and savage, no coordination behind them other than the desire to strike down her opponent. That was a bad sign for Samirah. She kept casting nervous glances at the now stunned Carth and Mission. Neither one moving; frozen where they stood by the power of the Force. Carth's face was scrunched up as if he was struggling to break free but it took more will power than he would know to accomplish such a feat.

It had been a miracle when Samirah had.

Samirah managed a back hand spring to move out of the woman's way. The Cathar let out a battle cry as she chased after Samirah, determined not to let her get away. Samirah blocked on her left side as their sabers locked again. She tried to overcome the woman before her but was met with a Force push that sent her back into a pillar behind her. She quickly recovered from the daze to duck as the Cathar swiped across, splitting the pillar. She brought her saber back down to try and catch Samirah before she could roll away. Samirah was still on the floor when she saw the saber coming for her and quickly blocked, their sabers locking yet again. This time, Samirah wasn't going to give her an opportunity to use any more tricks to win. She spotted a Mandalorian helmet not too far away and with a quick flick of her wrist, brought it crashing into the back of the Cathar. She cried out in surprise giving Samirah the opportunity to counter and be on the offensive.

She concentrated hard and used the Force to push the Cathar away, giving her room to move. The woman was tossed backwards, her back skidding across the hard stone of the grove. Her lightsaber flew away from her fingers, retracting in the process. She growled at Samirah who was already racing forwards, her blade tightly in her hands as she brought it quickly down on the Cathar. Her eyes went wide as she rolled away, Samirah's blade slamming into the concrete and creating a small crater where the Cathar had been. Samirah's head whipped up as she pulled her lightsaber from the stone and walked slowly to follow the Cathar's movements, each one slowly circling each other. The Cathar used the Force to call her lightsaber back to her hands, igniting it again.

"Who are you…?" The thick accent of the Cathar caught Samirah off guard but she was good not to show any emotion. She wasn't giving her the advantage.

"I could ask you the same thing… my name is Samirah Alda… and you?" The Cathar's eyes remained trained on Samirah, following her every movement and mirroring them. She remained quiet for several moments, contemplating what words she wanted to use or what actions. Be honest. Lie. Attack. Run. Yell. She was weighing her options and finally chose one.

"My name… is Juhani…" Her voice was cold and filled with anger. There was some other emotion that Samirah couldn't place… fear? ...distress? ...despair? Whatever it was, it was an underlying tone that was being concealed by that anger. Overpowered.

"And why are you here, Juhani?" She asked cautiously. "Why have you tainted this place?" Juhani smirked but it was one of disgust as she spat in Samirah's direction.

"This is _my _grove. This is the place of my dark power. This is the place you have invaded with your questions and righteousness. By the will of the council, you were sent her to kill me were you not? You will not succeed. You are not wanted here." They were still circling each other, their guard still on high alert, their weapons clutched in their fists.

"You're grove?" She questioned. "I'm not following…"

"No… I don't expect you too." Somehow her accent added a bit more malice to her words. "When I sought to embrace the dark side, this was where I sought my solace. This is the place of _my _power. This place is mine. It is MINE!" She shouted the last word at Samirah before lunging at her, taking that as her moment to attack.

Samirah immediately blocked as they began again with their game. Juhani had all this blind anger that she was thrusting at Samirah in hopes of overcoming her. But it was blind. She was just attacking, her eyes solely focused on Samirah. Samirah blocked each movement, moving as quickly as her arms would allow. At this rate she would be tired out by the woman's constant assault within minutes. Either that or one of them would wear down from it and Samirah would be sure it wasn't her. When she found her opening and the right moment she shot her elbow out nailing Juhani in the jaw and making her stagger back from impact.

Samirah pushed with the Force just a bit more to knock her back again. The Cathar lost her balance and hit the stone with a grunt, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them again, Samirah was on top of her with her lightsaber across her throat, daring her to move again. Juhani glared at her, knowing full well that Samirah now had the upper hand.

"Now, if you'll please stop trying to kill me… I'll let you up. But only if you promise." She said with a small smile that caught Juhani by surprise.

"Even… though you know I've embraced the darkness… you still show me… mercy?" Samirah shrugged.

"Only if you promise not to attack again." She said with a wink and mild humor.

Juhani didn't get it. Why offer mercy? Was she planning on killing her when her guard was down? What was the catch? Her eyes scanned Samirah's face, looking for any hint of betrayal. There had to be something. No one would spare a woman who had embraced the dark side—that had left the light like she did. No one was like that. There was another motive. There was a trick up her sleeve and Juhani swore she wouldn't fall for it.

She spotted a rock that had broken from a pillar out of the corner of her eyes and with her free hand—a hand out of view from Samirah—flicked her wrist, pulling it towards her with the force.

"No!" She spat at Samirah as she directed the rock at her.

She didn't have time to react as the rock collided with the side of her head. It wasn't a pebble either, it was a good size stone that hurt like hell. She cringed from the impact as she rolled away, her lightsaber skimming the Cathar's cheek as she moved. Juhani cried in pain as Samirah's hand shot up to her head and her vision blurred for a moment. She felt a trickle of blood roll across her cheek as her eyes darted over to Juhani. She wanted to play hardball, then Samirah would give her a run for her credits. She stood up, ignoring the throbbing in her temple and the blood that trickled from it. She twirled her lightsaber as the Cathar did the same, grinning at her accomplishment.

She had no idea what she was in for.

Samirah decided it was her turn to take the offensive. She raced forward, swinging her blade as the Cathar parried each strike. The hum of their lightsabers the only sound as Samirah twirled and struck the Cathar's own lightsaber that glowed a bright shade of red, sparking each time it met Samirah's green one. Samirah deflected the lightsaber with her own, knocking her hand away as she delivered a swift kick into her stomach. Juhani staggered back again but refused to go down. She immediately snarled as she swung her blade with as much force as she could muster to finish off Samirah.

Samirah ducked, nearly avoiding the blade as she thrusted her hand up to the Cathar's chest and delivered a quick jolt of the Force, knocking the Cathar into a pillar. She let out a gasp of surprise before she slid down, huffing from exhaustion as her lightsaber disengaged and rolled away from her again. Her eyes found Samirah's as she too was trying to control her breathing. They were both tired but neither one wanting to admit defeat. Juhani glared angrily at Samirah who was trying to smile kindly at Juhani.

"Now can we talk like—"Juhani howled in anger as she leapt from the pillar, completely ignoring her lightsaber. She launched herself at Samirah who blinked in sheer surprise. "Oh for the love of—"

She sidestepped Juhani who stumbled past her before Samirah delivered a quick jab to the back of her head with the hilt of her lightsaber. The Cathar gasped before falling forward and lying motionless in the grass. Samirah fell back against a pillar and slid down until she was sitting, her lightsaber disengaged while she tried to catch her breath. Her vision blurred for a brief moment before she blinked them clear. This was ridiculous. Did she have to be so difficult?

"Samirah!" Her head slowly moved to see Carth rushing up to her along with Mission behind him. The stasis on them had been broken. He dropped down to his knee's beside her as he grabbed her chin and moved her head to the side so that he could see the wound on her head better.

His face was close to hers as he examined the wound, but she couldn't help but feel the proximity. Her cheeks immediately flared as she fidgeted under his touch. Why was he so close? Why was he touching her? Mission handed him a cloth and she realized that they were talking but that she couldn't really hear them. All she heard was the loud pounding of her heart in her ears and she suddenly freaked out. She yanked her head away from him and scooted away, making space between them. He froze for a moment, shocked at her sudden reaction.

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I was just trying to bandage you're head." He said with concern. She shook her head, trying to find her voice.

"Uhh… no, you didn't. I just… Its just… I'm fine." She finally said a little shakily. He only frowned in response, not accepting her answer.

"You are not fine. Stop being such a child and let me bandage—"

"I'm not a child!" She said defensively but nervously so it held no weight. It only succeeded in making him chuckle.

"Ok, ok—you're not a child. But you _are_ wounded and it'll only get worse if you don't stop moving." He moved closer and moved her head to the side so that he could seep up some of the blood. He cheeks flared red again at his touch.

It was warm and only increased the blush on her cheeks. It sent chills down her back and she didn't know what that meant. His touch never gave her butterflies, it never felt so warm and it definitely never made her feel embarrassed. He was gentle and careful as he applied some Kolto which helped with the aching. He attached a bandage and smiled at her when he was done.

"There. Was it that bad?" She shook her head slowly, reminding him of a child. Despite what she said, she was exactly like a child.

She had the heart of a child… that was for sure. It was cute, really. He was always reminded of that but also reminded that she wasn't _really _a child, but a woman. This fight between her and the woman named Juhani proved that. He was useless to her during that fight. He couldn't help her or warn her of anything. He was defenseless and vulnerable and he _hated _it. If he had been able to help, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. His hand unconsciously moved up to her wound causing the unsuspecting girl before him to jump in surprise. He could see the red blush as it crawled across her skin, her eyes averted. He chuckled at her reaction before dropping his head. He stood up and offered his hand to her which she took after debating for several long moments.

Mission bit her bottom lip, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to expose itself. She definitely liked what she was seeing. The only problem was that neither one of them apparently saw it. And they called _her_ the kid. But, that was something for another day. They had more pressing matters to attend to. Mission shook her head in disapproval before drawing her attention to the Cathar lying unconscious on the stone floor.

"Hey, what do we do with her?" She motioned at the woman as Carth and Samirah followed her gesture. Samirah frowned.

"Well, she didn't want to talk but I don't really want to kill her. Especially now that she's unconscious and vulnerable."

"Well we can't exactly take her back to the Council, can we? They'll kill her on the spot." Carth argued as Samirah shook her head.

"No, they wouldn't. At least I won't let them. She has turned to the dark side but it hasn't consumed her. I… I can feel it and it isn't strong. She hasn't fully embraced it. She's just… I guess the word would be _tasted _it." Carth shook his head, not liking any of it.

"But she still turned to the dark side. Even if she turns back to the Jedi, doesn't that mean she could just as easily sway back? I mean, it doesn't make her very reliable." He countered.

"Well we can't leave her here and we can't kill her. That kind of leaves only one option." She stepped over to the Cathar and grabbed her arm. She pulled the Cathar onto her back and grunted under the weight of the woman. It took several moments of adjusting and the help of Mission before Juhani had her arms over Samirah's shoulder and her legs held up by Samirah's arms.

When she turned to face Carth, he was shaking his head in disapproval but she ignored him. It wasn't his trial so his opinion didn't matter at the moment. Samirah was told to remove the taint… and well, she was removing it and taking it elsewhere. They didn't specify so it was the same thing. The details didn't really matter, did they? It was hard trying to keep Juhani on her back since it was all just dead weight. She would slip and slide as they moved and Samirah would mentally curse the Cathar for being so difficult. Carth offered to carry her a few times but Samirah would assure him she was fine even if she wasn't.

This was her trial so she was going to carry her.

Carth didn't get it. If it was him, he would have killed the woman for many reasons. She was a Dark Jedi now and there was no way you could trust her after that. She attacked Samirah so that would obviously give more incentive to kill her. And even then, Samirah gave her another chance but she still chose to attack. So why was Samirah carting her back to the Council? Why? It didn't make sense to him. It seemed pointless and an unnecessary risk. He would voice his concerns to Samirah and it irritated him that she would just smile to him and say "_That ok. It's my risk, not yours. I'll take the consequences of my actions so don't fret."_

There were so many things about this girl that he didn't get.

They walked in silence as they came close to a river that flowed, separating the plain with a small bridge linking the two pieces of land together. She squinted her eyes as a person came into view—correction, a Twi'lek. From his blue robes, she guessed that he was a Jedi sent from the council to accomplish his own task. As they quietly approached him, she noticed how deep in thought he was. He stroked his chin as he stared at the plains on the other side of the bridge. He was leaning against the railway of the bridge and as she stepped closer, could see where his eyes were focused on. She let out a small, audible gasp. A man lay in the grass, the life obviously now gone from his body while two more men hovered around. One leaned on one foot with a look of discontent on his face, clearly agitated while the other held his arms across his stomach, just below his chest and at an angle.

Samirah noted how odd it looked but didn't dwell on the thought. The Jedi was obviously investigating something and it wasn't her business to interfere. She hoisted Juhani further up her back, making sure she had a good hold on the woman as they kept going. They began to cross the bridge, drawing the attention of Jedi. She smiled and bowed her head slightly as she began to cross the bridge to continue her journey back to the enclave. The Jedi eyed her for a moment before smiling.

"**Excuse me, Apprentice**." He called in his native tongue, making her pause in her steps.

"Y-yes sir…" She said, her tone indicating how exhausted she was. He smiled sympathetically at her, eyeing the person on her back for a brief moment before his attention was drawn back to Samirah. She was huffing, waiting anxiously for him to ask what he needed so that she could move on.

He smiled knowing that she wasn't going to get very far.

"**I see that your task has finished… in a manner of speaking**." She frowned. Was everyone at the academy on alert about her task? Did they all know? "**And you're arrival here is well timed."** He continued.

"Well timed? What are you talking about?" She asked with a puzzled expression. She was trying very hard not to drop Juhani but with this Jedi questioning her, it was proving to be very difficult. Carth quickly sauntered up next to her, helping her keep a hold of the Cathar. He noticed her slowly slipping from Samirah's grasp and how uncomfortable Samirah was as she tried to keep a hold on her.

The Jedi smiled reassuringly as Carth helped her regain control. He didn't know what to expect from this woman but it was quite the spectacle to watch. Most would have killed the Cathar or sent her packing but not this apprentice. She was actually _carrying_ her back to the enclave. Something he did not expect the least bit from an Apprentice.

"**Forgive me, my name is Bolook, a Jedi from the enclave. I was sent by the Jedi Council to investigate a killing that took place here a few hours ago. Communication does not pose a problem as both the suspects and I speak Basic and Huttese."** She frowned as she waited for him to get to the point. Juhani was getting heavier and heavier. The weight would soon be too much for Samirah to carry and they would never make it back.

"**I was going to handle this case myself, but now that you are here this could be an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate how well you have been learning your lessons at the Academy. Though you are not yet a full Jedi, perhaps you could assist me in sorting out the truth from the lies."** He offered and she just stared at him. He wanted to test her? _Now?_

"You want me to do _what?_ Now? Uh, excuse my boldness Master… Bolook but… my hands are kind of full. Literally." He just smiled.

"**Your friends can take her back to the enclave, can they not?**" He offered, looking back to Carth and Mission who grimaced. Samirah shook her head.

"No sir, I'm afraid I cannot lay my burden onto them. She is my responsibility and as such must remain with me." He nodded with that small smile still in place as he clasped his hands in front of him.

"**Then she may remain here with you. There is no better opportunity to test your skills then with a task such as this. It's rather perfect."** Samirah frowned, realizing that he wasn't going to let her off the hook with this one. She was tired, her head was spinning and she knew her back was going to be sore in the morning. And yet this Twi'lek wasn't going to give up. She groaned before turning to look at Carth and Mission.

"Go on without me… I… I have to complete this task before I move on. That doesn't mean that you guys have to stay." Mission nodded but Carth was shaking his head.

"What? Leave you here by yourself? You're injured!" She laughed softly. His concern was a bit refreshing and kind of made her feel a little… happy. But none the less, she had to stay and she wasn't going to let them stay either. It was pointless.

"Don't worry about me and just go back to the enclave. I'll meet you there. Juhani will stay with me since she is my responsibility." Again, Carth protested. He didn't like that idea either.

"It would make more sense if you let us take her. In your present state, it's hard enough on you as it is to take on a new task by yourself. Now you want us to leave you alone with her? I don't think so, sister." His use of the word _sister_ made her giggle. It reminded her of their countless fights on Taris.

"It's not up for debate, fly boy. What would you do if she woke up while you were taking her to the enclave? She's a Jedi and would easily have an advantage over you. She's better off with me." She countered.

"And you're too tired to be able to hold your own against her. So I guess that makes us even. Give her to me."

"You can try and take her," Samirah taunted as she turned to fully face him, a devilish smirk crossing her features.

For a moment, neither one said a word as they stared intently at each other. Bolook and Mission exchanged puzzled glances before watching to two before them. Carth was weighing his options. He could try and challenge Samirah but he was sure that she would put up a fight no matter what tactic he tried… and plus, he didn't want to fight her. Samirah saw his hesitation and took that as her opportunity to make it clear he wasn't going to win.

"I won't give her up easily, Carth Onasi. This is _my_ responsibility and I will bear the burden. Please, just respect my wishes…" She asked making it hard for him to refuse. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking away in frustration.

"Fine. But if you don't make it back before dusk, I'm calling a search party." She smirked at how serious he was before nodding.

"Whatever you say flyboy…" She said softly, earning a worried expression from Carth.

Mission took this opportunity to grab his arm and began to pull him across the bridge and past the crime scene as he kept casting those worried looks at her. He had trouble keeping his eyes away even after Bolook directed her towards the scene. He watched as Samirah laid Juhani down at his feet so that he could inform her of the crime and what was required of her. When they were almost out of sight, he caught one fleeting glance from Samirah before she quickly looked away to complete the task.

Why did she look back? Had she changed her mind? Should he go back? Why was it such a big deal? Mission kept a firm grip on Carth as she tugged him away and kept heading towards the enclave. After several moments, Carth pulled free and followed her obediently. When Mission looked back at him, his face was scrunched up in concern for their friend and she couldn't help the smile.

"Hey, don't frown like that. Sami will be fine. You gotta have more faith in her than that, ya know?" she said in a chipper tone. "I mean, cause it's our Sami. If she could do all the things that she did on Taris, this'll be a piece of cake!" She had no worries what so ever. The Sami she knew was strong and kind.

Carth was just being a big baby over it.

A grin crept over her face at the thought.

"And you thought Samirah was being childish…" She said in mock criticism, earning a quick glare from Carth.

"Childish! I'm not acting childish! She's the one who wouldn't let us take that—that woman! If she gets into trouble, it's her own fault! I don't even want to hear her complain!" He argued as Mission rolled her eyes.

"Sheesh, do you even hear yourself Carth?" She said with a slight laugh before walking a few paces ahead of him.

He couldn't help it. Every time she did something reckless like this, he worried. She was the person you worried about when they went off on their own. The only word to describe it is childlike. That's what she was. It worried him to no extent when she over exerted herself like this but _still_ managed to worry about them. Why? All he did was cause her more grief! He didn't understand her. He didn't even understand why he worried so much. She was very capable of taking care of herself and yet that didn't ease his mind. It didn't make him feel any better about it.

As they walked a bit further, the enclave came into sight and he realized that there were hardly any Kath hound attacks on his way back. Was it really all of Juhani's doing or had they killed enough to make it easy to return? He stuffed his hands in his pockets as they stepped onto the stone floors and merged with the rest of the settlers who had made Dantooine their home. This small, little settlement was their home and they relied on the Jedi to fix their problems.

When they were back inside the academy, Mission said her good-bye before rushing off to go find Zaalbar in the Cantina. Where else would that Wookiee be? He could always be found there. Carth settled for sitting on a bench in the middle of the courtyard. When Samirah returned she would have to pass by there so this is where he would wait. If something went wrong… he didn't know what he would do. He didn't like leaving her alone with that Cathar. Even if another Jedi was with her, he didn't like taking that risk.

He was going to wait. He wouldn't move from that spot until she returned. The sun was slowly descending but she had plenty of time before sunset. If she wasn't back before sunset—he wasn't kidding, he was going back out there to find her. He wasn't going to wait for something bad to happen. He was going to try and prevent it this time. He sat their impatiently waiting, his elbows on his knees and his fingers laced together under his chin. All he could do now was wait… that the only thing he could do. He hated it, but he was going to do it.

He was going to wait.

He was going to be there waiting when she returned.

Or.

He was going to be out there searching for her.

* * *

**Hopefully you guys liked it! I had to rewrite it so many times before I was happy with it so I hope you guys are happy too! ^-^ Be sure to review and let me know what you think, even if its only two words... or letters even lol. Thanks again for reading guys! I really appreciate all the great reviews and help I receive from you all! Its really encouraging and makes me wonderfully happy! Your ideas and words of encouragement keep this story going! Pat yourselves on the back for me ;)**

**Thank you so much and I'll see you/talk to you next update! I'll stay strong, promise! ^-^**

**~SilverShards~**


	19. Chapter 18: Teachings of Self Redemption

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or the SW Universe! I do own my own little spot on cloud 9 though. Don't get any ideas ;)**

**Ok, I'm super sorry about not updating but my week hasn't exactly gone as planned. Long story short: I ended up working days I wasn't meant too (my days off) and then went on a surprise college visit for the weekend! (That was amazing, but I wasn't able to work on my chapter at all.) So all my free time had been taken up leaving me unable to update as I would have liked. And, a deal is a deal. I have place $10 in a Jar and it will not be touched until this story is finished. A promise is a promise after all.**

**Hopefully, you guys like this chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Teachings of Self-Redemption**

"_Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is __darkness__, light; and where there is sadness, joy."_

This was just horrible.

The worst, really.

This wasn't how she pictured her day going and yet here she was.

The sun had dimmed down a great deal, signaling the end of the day. Streams of sweat poured down her face as she struggled across the plains of Dantooine. The Cathar on her back grew heavier with each step she took. Two lumps had been painfully formed on her head and Samirah was only going to take responsibility for one. Seriously. It wasn't her fault. This Cathar was being the most difficult person to transport and so she only had herself to blame for it.

One lump had formed when Juhani had awoken after she had helped Bolook with the murder. She failed, by the way. It was awful. How was she supposed to know they were both guilty? It could have just as easily been a coincidence but as Bolook shed light on it, it made sense too. How had she missed it? It was so obvious that they both were responsible for killing the man—not that he didn't have it coming but it still wasn't the best idea to go out and kill him. Bolook wasn't angry but he wanted her to see the point. She did. But he couldn't expect her to solve a crime like that under conditions like this, could he? She was too worried about Juhani waking up or escaping while interrogating the suspects.

And of course, that's exactly what she did.

She didn't wake up until after the verdict had been reached and after Bolook had explained his lesson to her. When he left with the men in custody and the information droid in tow, Juhani had begun to stir. When she was alert, Samirah noticed that she had awoken and within an instant, a fight erupted between them. It was short but far from easy. Samirah had suffered a couple of bruises and even a really deep scratch mark on her cheek from the Cathar's long nails. It was a cat fight down to the last letter. Samirah was internally grateful that she had confiscated the lightsaber from her but had no chance to ignite her own.

After several moments of pointless screams and fighting with their hands, Juhani had finally pinned Samirah down and attempted to claw her eyes out. A few times she reached for the lightsabers strapped to Samirah's belt but she wasn't about to allow that. Samirah had grabbed a nearby rock and slammed it into the side of Juhani's head.

Payback for the wound on Samirah's head.

It was justifiable.

When Juhani's body fell limp against the grass, Samirah elbowed her just for extra measure. She couldn't handle the woman waking up again. Another scuffle would take all of Samirah's energy away—at least the bit that she had left. She ripped the cloth off of her sleeve and used it to bind Juhani's hands in the event she awoke with a fuss again. In the process of trying to hoist the unconscious Cathar on her back… she may have dropped her once… or twice. Any injuries she sustained from that were on her head, not Samirah's. She was enough trouble as it was. Samirah couldn't do much about the scratch until she was back at the enclave.

Was it really this far away?

She didn't remember walking so far… wait, was it a left turn or a right turn? She gritted her teeth out of frustration as she focused on simply moving. One foot forward. Now the other one. If she could keep moving, she could at least find a place to stay at or maybe a nice little cave to camp in. Could she do that? Would Juhani even last that long.

A crack of thunder made the decision for Samirah.

She lifted her head to see the clouds rolling in, streaks of lighting flashing across the sky followed by the crackle of thunder. A storm was approaching and so far, the only shelter in sight was a tree.

A tree.

That would just not suffice.

She pushed her legs forward, praying to the Force to grant her legs a little bit of speed and to make herself move faster. Just that simple act of using the Force was enough to tear away at her strength. She had to keep going and beat the rain to a shelter—anything but the tree. She held on tight to the Cathar and moved faster, grunting under the pressure and panting as her lungs went into overtime. They weren't pumping enough air out for her and that caused her chest to burn terribly. She was able to break into a light jog in hopes of finding a better shelter—hopefully one that wouldn't catch fire in the unlikely event that lightning struck it.

She passed the tree, stumbling over rocks and tree branches as the wind began to pick up ever so slightly, dropping the temperature down a few notches. The few Kath hounds that had been prowling the area must have already hidden and found shelter when they sensed the oncoming storm. That was the downside to living in the plains, to living on a planet that was nothing but a giant plain—you were susceptible to a random onslaught of storms. They appeared out of nowhere and were on you before you could even blink twice.

The first sprinkles of rain descended on her head, alerting her of the inevitable. The storm was only seconds away. She pushed her legs to go faster as she rounded a corner and hurried along the edges of the dirt wall. The rain fell down heavier as each second past and the thunder sounded closer, nearly in sync with the flashes of light. Each clash of thunder made her cringe and let out a small whimper. It rained so hard that she could hardly see where she was going. She needed to find cover. Shelter. She needed out of the rain and fast. Her eyes spotted a small cavern off to the side and she immediately directed her feet to head that way. Her legs argued but she pushed them to go anyway, her feet nearly slipping on the newly saturated ground. Her balance was off as she stumbled towards the cave, her energy nearly evaporated.

She was at the point where she couldn't even feel her legs. They sort of just kept moving because that's what she wanted them to do. She struggled with each step until her feet managed to step on the dry stone of the cave. The moment she was inside, her exhaustion gave way as she collapsed against the stone. Juhani's arms were still bound and around Samirah's neck as she disentangled her and pushed her away. Samirah couldn't find the strength to check on the Cathar so she opted for just not moving at all.

She was completely drained, her hair now damp from the rain and her clothes saturated down to her bones. She was freezing. The cave was indeed dry but it was a far cry from warm. You would think that a cave in the plains would be warm from all the hot air or the dry weather. She guessed that being hidden under a mountain of earth was enough to keep it cool. She shivered from the chill that slithered up her spine, making her bottom lip quiver. She found enough strength to pull her legs up to her chest and wrap her arms around herself.

Her clothes were clinging to her skin, only making her colder. Her eyes started to droop but she refused to let them close just yet. She moved her head slowly, just enough to peer over at the Cathar. She was just as wet as Samirah and her clothes were just as soaked. If she wasn't properly covered, she would get sick from the cool air in the cave. Samirah made herself sit up, her body still protesting in agony as she slowly unwrapped her robe. Underneath she wore a simple, white tank top and the loose pants that accompanied the traditional robes of the Jedi.

She twisted the robe as hard as she could with whatever little pieces of strength she still had in her as the water dripped out onto the stone floor. When she had gotten as much water as she could out, she draped it over Juhani's motionless body. Samirah was still in charge of bringing Juhani back. In her mind, the only sure way of removing the taint was to remove it from Juhani. She wasn't exactly sure how to do that, but she had to try. She had to give her a chance. Everyone deserved at least that.

Her shoulders shivered as she pulled her knees back up to her chest and leaned against the wall of the cave. She had less clothes on now, but at least she wouldn't feel guilty for the Cathar getting sick or worse. It was the best she could do under the circumstances. She cringed as another flash of lightning stretched across the sky and the thunder rocked the cave. She was cold, tired, in pain and now… slightly scared of the storm.

Slightly. She wasn't terrified or anything.

She just didn't like the loud sounds.

They were too… sudden.

She held herself close as she tried to keep her eyes opened but she found it difficult. The only thing keeping her awake was the storm, the motionless Cathar and the unbearably cold air circulating the cave. A draft really. Maybe the cave led somewhere, maybe it didn't. She wasn't about to find out. She didn't have the strength for it. She leaned her head back against the stone wall, feeling her damp hair press into her back. She didn't have enough strength to keep her arms wrapped around her arms so they fell limply into her lap, her feet slightly under her legs and off to the side.

…_Where are you…?_

It was a simple question that breathed across her mind but she couldn't keep focused on it. The rain and thunder drowned out any sounds. A loud clash of thunder startled her into a small little scream that she hadn't meant to let loose. This was awful. Even if the storm passed, she would be struggling to get out. If Juhani woke up, what was she going to do? Smack her with a rock again? She wasn't against the idea, really, but it was just so troublesome. She didn't think hitting the Cathar repeatedly with rocks was going to do either one of them any good.

Especially if she ended up killing her by accident… that would be counterproductive.

_Samirah…_

There it was again. That voice.

She couldn't answer. It wouldn't matter. She didn't even know where she was. Her eyes continued to stare out into the storm, not seeing anything outside of the cave. Only rain. Only lightning. The air made her shiver again as the wind passed by her damp skin, wind caused by the constant rainfall. The light outside had faded away leaving her in the darkness of the cave save for the few flashes of lightning that illuminated the interior of the cave. She hesitantly reached for her lightsaber and flicked it on to see the beam shoot from the hilt. It glowed brightly to provide her with a little bit of light in the cave.

She waved it around slowly, listening to the hum before a shiver down her back made her drop it. Her fingers were too cold. The lightsaber remained on as it rolled away slightly, near the mouth of the cave shedding only a glimmer of light. Her eyes tried to close on her again but she struggled desperately to keep them open. That black void was only a breath away. It was pulling on her, tugging forcefully but painfully on her mind to bring her into its depths. The lack of strength making it harder for her to resist.

_It was always like this… a glimmer, a spark, a small light…_

…_Don't forget these small moments…_

…_It'll never be same…_

She struggled against it, a pain that etched into the far recesses of her mind. If she let it go free, it was painful; If she struggled against it, it was painful. She couldn't win either way. It was… lonely. It was cold and she wanted to cry against it. This cave reminded her so much of that void that she was always being pulled into; cold, dark and even if she hated to admit it… terrifying. If she slipped back into that void, she wasn't sure what would happen.

_Samirah! Samirah!_

Why wouldn't it stop? Why did the voice persist? Why did it beckon her? She didn't want anything to do with it, she didn't want to be plagued by things she didn't know. She squeezed her eyes closed as she shook her head, willing the voices to go away. A crackle of thunder made her squeal as she cringed into the side of the wall. The sound was so loud that she felt the rumble in her chest. She was so tired and it was so easy to fall asleep.

All she had to do was keep her eyes closed…

She just needed to block out the thunder…

Rest was good. It was needed.

Her body felt numb so she couldn't shiver anymore. The rain and the wind along with the absence of the sun had made it extremely hard for her to get warm. Add the fact that her robe was now draped over the Cathar and she was chilled to the bone. She didn't think the plains of Dantooine could get so cold but then again, she was always inside the enclave. Here, she didn't have a fire. She just wanted to sleep.

_Samirah! Samirah!_

"Stop it!" She found herself screaming but it wasn't as loud as she thought. It was hardly even there as she realized how her lips quivered.

Her eyes began to water as she continued to stare out into the storm. She mildly wondered if Carth was worried. He had given her until dusk to return… and it was well past dusk. He wouldn't be silly enough to be searching in the rain. No one would do that. They would wait until it was gone. That would be the sensible thing to do. Especially in a storm as fierce as this one.

And yet… she couldn't help but wish he was here.

_Samirah!_

The voice got louder and she was ready to scream. Normally she wouldn't want to cry because of that void that tried so hard to claim her but this time it wasn't just the void. It was becoming a Jedi. It was trying to bring back the Cathar. It was being pushed to her limits. It was living up to everyone's expectations. It was accomplishing all the goals set out before her…

And she didn't even know them all yet.

Her head leaned back against the cave as a small stream spilled over her cheek. What was she going to do… there was too much to risk falling asleep. Too much to risk _not_ to fall asleep. The Cathar would only be asleep for so long and Samirah was willing to bet she wouldn't wake up happy. Especially not with the kind of headache she was bound to wake up _with. _

_Samirah!_

Her eyes drooped as they struggled to stay open, the voice continuing to get louder until she realized it wasn't a voice from the black depths of her mind… it was an actual voice. Someone was looking for her. It took her a moment to realize that someone was actually looking for her… Was that too much to hope for? Was it just a trick of the mind? Of that black abyss?

Surprisingly, the voice seemed to be headed in her direction but her mind was too tired to try and put the voice to a person. Maybe she didn't know them. If that was the case, how did they know her name? Her head bobbed forward as her eyes started to close, the last reserves of her energy failing. It was so simple… so easy… just a little rest. Just a little shut-eye. That's all she needed.

Was that too much to ask for?

* * *

Carth was going to kill her.

Granted, he hadn't waited very long before he started his search. He practically went back out to search for her the moment they returned. He did give her some time before he headed back out, but he could only sit still for so long. He had ventured back out into the plains, heading back to the spot where she had stayed to help the Jedi. When he arrived, they were already gone. He had let out a long string of curses because he hadn't run into her on his way there so that meant she either went the wrong way or took a different route.

He didn't like either idea.

What made it worse was the crackle of thunder overhead that was followed by ominous clouds that materialized out of thin air. You had to expect storms in this kind of terrain but it was very inconvenient to have at the moment. The wind picked up, ruffling his already ruffled hair from the numerous times that he had run his fingers through it. He knew it was only a matter of time before the rain descended on him which meant that it would soon be very difficult to find Samirah. He broke out into a light jog, calling out for Samirah.

He wasn't sure how much of his voice was heard over the crackles of thunder but he damn well tried to make them heard. Where would she go? Most of the other routes back to the Enclave were longer and he hadn't run into her… so where was she? His mind showed him images of her at the hands of the Cathar, left to whatever fate met her at the mercy of the Dark Jedi. The sky had changed to a darker and grimmer setting with clouds rolling in like waves.

Where did he need to look? Where did she go? He continued to yell for her as the rain began to pour like teardrops, the smell of fresh rain filling his senses.

"Where are you? Samirah!"

She was always a step ahead. Always out of reach.

"Samirah!"

The rain fell heavier and within seconds, his hair was drenched in each drop of rain. His vision started to blur just a bit but he blinked them clean as he quickened his pace. She couldn't possibly have passed him. Even if she had taken a longer route around, she would still be out here somewhere. He knew he shouldn't have left her alone. He knew he should have stayed. He knew it. The crackle of thunder sounded over head, alerting him that he needed to find shelter and quick.

He could only hope she had done that.

"Samirah!"

He rounded a corner of the hillside and started looking for shelter but he didn't stop calling out her name. She was out here and Carth was going to find her. As the thunder sounded again, he could have sworn that he heard a small cry but in this weather it was hard to be sure. He kept wiping at his eyes as he looked around but finding it hard to see through the rain. Why was it so hard? This was the worst timing ever for this to happen.

Where in the blazes was she?

He paused for a moment to scan the area, squinting his eyes as he called her name as loud as he could but to no avail. He didn't get a response. Of course he didn't. She wasn't here. He did one last look around the area before his eyes caught sight of something faintly glowing.

_Glowing?_

He pulled his jacket in closer as he slowly walked towards it as the thunder pounded overhead and the lightning flashes showing him fragments of the area around him. Under one good flash, he saw a cave that was snuggled beneath the hillside. A small green light illuminated from the mouth of the small cave. He started for the cave, trying to place the green light and figuring out its origin. As he got close, the light became clearer and he realized after several moments of thought that the green light was actually the light glowing from a lightsaber.

_Samirah's lightsaber was green!_

He broke out into a full on run for the cave when the realization hit him. She was in there. It had to be her! He pushed all the water from his face as he pushed his legs towards the cave hoping to find her there instead of just a sole lightsaber. The moment he stepped inside the small cavern, it was like stepping through a wall of water and then onto a somewhat dry surface. He was grateful that the bright orange jacket that he always wore wasn't wet—the water just slid off the material.

He shook his head and tried to quickly adjust his eyes to the inside of the cave, not realizing he was panting until he heard himself within the cave. He immediately noticed the Cathar who had a Jedi robe draped over her to keep her semi warm. Carth couldn't tell if she was just sleeping or if she was still unconscious but decided that at this present moment in time, it wasn't his priority. His eyes darted around the cave until they fell on the one girl he had been searching for.

"Samirah!" He was quickly at her side kneeling down, her eyes closed and her skin a little paler than he would have liked.

She shivered at his sudden proximity making him realize that she was only in a tank top and her loose fitting pants that were all clinging to her skin. She was soaked from head to toe and this cave wasn't exactly warm. Without hesitating, he unzipped his own orange jacket and slipped it off revealing the dry t-shirt beneath it. He slid his arm behind Samirah, feeling how cold her skin actually was as he draped the jacket over her shoulders. The sudden contact made Samirah lurch forward and gasp as her eyes flew open.

Her head slowly turned to look at Carth as her eyes drooped again but she refused to let them close.

"Carth…?" Her voice was barely above a whisper as her body swayed a bit. He caught hold of her shoulders to keep her from falling over. "..What are… you doing here…?"

"Samirah, I've been looking everywhere for you!" He didn't exactly shout, but he did raise his voice. "I was worried when you didn't come back, especially since you still had that Cathar in your hands." She shivered, her body still swaying slightly and her head bobbing.

"I'm… sorry… I just—"A crack of thunder sounded with a loud bang making her squeal and cringe into Carth's side. He froze for a moment, not sure what his next course of action was. What did you do in this situation?

"Are—Are you scared?" She shook her head.

"No… it's not… scary… I'm not scared… I can't be…" Her body shivered either from the cold or from fear. Carth was willing to bet both. He pulled the jacket tight around her shoulders and kept her close to him in an attempt to keep her warm. When she continued to shiver, he acted rather than think.

He pulled her on to his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He was trying to warm her up. There was nothing wrong with that. He was surprised to find no resistance from her but instead, found her clinging to him. She leaned into his chest, holding her arms up to her own chest in an attempt to keep warm herself. Carth could hear his own heartbeat as he cradled the small woman in his arms. So fragile. Moments like these reminded him that no matter how strong and willful she was, she would always need someone to look out for her.

She would always need him to keep her out of trouble.

He held her close, not worried at all about the dampness of her clothes or her hair. He just wanted her to rest now that he was there. He could hear her breathing slowing down and became a bit more relaxed as she eased into sleep. Her head rested against his chest and fell back slightly allowing him a glimpse of her face. Strands of her hair clung to her face and her lips were parted ever so slightly as she slumbered in his arms.

He found himself smiling at her as he kept the jacket wrapped securely around her. Her face would scrunch up every so often and she would shiver uncontrollably from the cold wind that drifted in so he did his best to shield her. The lighting had already started to move away but each shock of thunder would make her jump, even in her sleep. One of her hands found his shirt and gripped it tightly before relaxing ever so slightly against him. He didn't know what to do from here on. He was just happy to find her ok and unharmed.

Mostly.

He noticed the deep scratch mark on her cheek that had gone untreated. If she wasn't in his arms, he would have started to patch it up but he was afraid that if he moved her or let go of her, she would awaken. He didn't want that. He wanted her to have this moment to rest. This time, he would be watching over _her_. This would be his chance to be of some worth to this seemingly perfect girl. Had he known he would have been tossed in with her on some miraculous turn of fate, maybe then he wouldn't have given her such a hard time on Taris. Maybe things wouldn't have been so hard for her.

As time passed by, so did the storm. The night stayed cold as the rain drizzled outside, the remnants of the severe storm easily heard off in the distance. A small flash could be seen and a few minutes later, the rumble of thunder would echo across the plains making the sound reverberate within the depths of the cave. A small puddle had formed at the mouth of the cave and Carth had to move Samirah slightly to avoid any contact with it. She was still in his arms, almost cradled there as he supported her back. He started to doze off a few times but would always awaken with the fear of dropping her. He didn't want to do that or to move away and fear her catching cold.

His best alternative was to lie down next to her.

…Well…

For some reason, that idea settled funny in the pit of his stomach.

He pushed the feeling away in an attempt to ignore it, not needing to pay it any attention at the moment. It had no meaning. He just needed to ignore it and the sound of his own heartbeat. Neither one was important at the moment. The Cathar had yet to move any but he wasn't sure how long she was going to stay like that. He wondered if the frigid cold air in the cave and her damp clothes had killed her. If she was really a Sith then it was for the best and he had no sympathy towards her. It was her choice to follow down that path. Samirah should already know this and yet she was taking this risk.

He shook his head as he slowly laid Samirah down on the floor, making sure that the jacket was secure around her before he lay down beside her. He moved his arm so that it was positioned beneath her head, acting as a pillow for her before he draped his other arm over her in a last attempt to keep her warm. He was going to rest but for extra measure, his blaster pistol was gripped tightly in his hand. It was in the hand beside Samirah's head, pointed directly at the Cathar. He was going to rest, but not before he made sure Samirah stayed safe. He wasn't going to take any chances.

He rested his own head on the floor beside Samirah, keeping her close. She wouldn't get cold this night. She could rest easy, he hoped. He would there if she needed him. His eyelids slowly drooped as he slowly fell into the quiet sleep that awaited him. The only sounds he heard being the soft drizzle of rain, the far echoes of the storm, her breathing and his own heartbeat thrumming in his ear. It was… calming, making it easier for him to drift away.

Never had he felt so calm and relaxed in his sleep…

* * *

… _don't forget who you are. Don't forget your place. They most certainly don't and thus, you must always know where you stand with them…_

Samirah felt as the fog in her mind slowly lifted—the sign that she was resurfacing from that void. It was always the same. It was always there. The difference being that the voices changed, the scenes changed, and yet, when she woke up she couldn't remember the simplest details. What was it about? Who was talking to her? Were they even speaking to her? They were just dreams so they didn't mean anything, right?

Her mind slowly started to clear as she became more aware of her surroundings. To be more accurate, more aware of someone's arm around her. She remembered being trapped in a cave by that storm and with the Cathar but… after that… it was kind of fussy. She was scared to move, afraid of who had her encased in their arms. Surely it wasn't Juhani. That would require her to get free but if she did get free… why wouldn't she run? Why would she stay?

It couldn't be the Cathar.

The arm under her head was too muscular. The same with the one over her waist. She also could smell the musky scent wafting from them and it was… actually quite nice. Something about it was slightly intoxicating and she really didn't want to move. After a few moments of debating, she slowly opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the small glimmer of light that glistened from the puddles of water at the mouth of the cave. It was apparently early in the morning, the storm nowhere in sight but a clear day in its place.

Samirah slowly turned her head to venture a look at who had her in their arms and nearly froze when she found herself mere inches from their face. Carth's face. Her entire face turned a bright shade of red and she couldn't find the strength to move, talk or say anything really. She tried but found that her words were useless. No sound would leave her lips as she simply stared at him, her face feeling hotter and hotter. His breath came out slow and steady, feeling warm against her skin at such a close proximity.

And yet, she didn't want to pull away. It was somehow… comfortable. His arm was fastened securely around her waist, giving her this feeling of being safe and… well… not alone.

This wasn't a feeling she was used to. As a scout, all she knew was the coldness of the floor, the silent echoes of her ship and the need to keep on guard. Around Carth she felt warm, there was always some voice to fill that silence and he made it possible for her to drop her guard, even if only for a moment.

She didn't want to wake him up so she slowly rested her head back on his arm and looked across the cave in hopes of resting. Instead, her eyes met a pair of bright yellow eyes staring back at her. Juhani. She had awoken and was seated with her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms hugging them closer. The cloth that had bound her arms together was torn loose but instead of attacking, the Cathar watched them from afar. Samirah's robes draped over her shoulder to keep her warm. They stared at each other for several moments, waiting for the other to make a sudden movement but neither did.

They remained still.

It was Juhani who broke the silence as her face contorted from a stern look to one of confusion and… suspicion.

"Who is he? Jedi are not allowed to love." She questioned making Samirah's face a deep shade of red.

"What!" She said in a quiet but stern tone. "We are not lovers! Quite frankly, I don't even know _why _he's here! Why are you still here? Why didn't you run away or kill me when you had the chance?" She questioned quickly, desperate to change the topic.

"You have not killed _me_. I demand to know why." She stated brusquely and quietly, aware of the sleeping man.

"You deserve a chance." Samirah responded quietly, earning a deeper look of confusion from the Cathar.

"_Another chance?_ You think I deserve such a thing? You do not know what I have done. You do not know anything about me or my past. You have no right to give me such a thing." She spat.

Samirah frowned, a little disappointed.

"Juhani, I don't need to know your past or your mistakes. I just need to know you. I can feel the dark side in you… but it isn't strong. It isn't you. I can _feel_ that. We are all susceptible to falling, to giving in. And sometimes, the best of us do fall but the beauty of falling… is being able to get back up again. Learning how to keep standing even when falling seems like the best option." Juhani laughed a little darkly, hugging her legs tighter and averting her eyes.

"You are not too far gone… you are not a Dark Jedi. There is still a redemption for you. There is no peace in becoming a servant of the darkness."

"Jedi are all the same…" She whispered. "You are no different from them. They always talk about _redemption_ and of _the darkness._ Of giving into the dark pretend that we are better than those around us because we fight a bigger battle in our hearts. Because we know the light and the dark, because we are a grain of sand away from tipping the scales to fall on either side. _That_ is what is supposed to make us better.

"And yet, we do fall. How am I to accept that? You're logic is fractured… you cannot fall and be welcomed back with open arms. It's all useless. You were better off to leave me there to die." She said those words with so much malice that Samirah felt sympathy for the woman.

"Juhani, it's because of those battles that we understand. We learn to guard ourselves from the temptation. We—"

"Learn to guard ourselves from the temptation?" Her voice rose for a fraction of a second before she dropped it to avoid waking up Carth. She was considerate at least. Samirah wasn't quite ready for him to wake up yet. "No, they purposefully push you towards it. When you do something wrong, they forgive you. When you yell at them, they forgive. It's like they don't even care. Its… _infuriating…" _Her accent was laced around each word, her frustration evident.

They were quiet for several moments, Samirah watching as Juhani's frustration and… guilt… washed over her. It was apparent that she regretted whatever act brought her down this path and Samirah wasn't going to let her go. Samirah was bound and determined to make Juhani see what Samirah saw. Samirah saw a young woman capable of being a great Jedi but letting the shadows and the doubts of her heart hold her back; letting the darkness take its hold on her and giving in.

"There's a story I heard once…" Samirah started quietly, drawing in the attention of the broody Cathar. "The story says that in each one of us is a battle between two Kath hounds. One is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, superiority, lies, false pride, and ego. It is the darkness of your heart; it knows your ever dark desire and thrives to exploit it. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. It is the light that shines in your heart; it know your ever need and it knows you better than anyone else could ever imagine. They both exist inside of us all and they both fight." Juhani snorted as if she thought the purpose of the story was falling on deaf ears. Samirah watched her very closely, a small, sweet smile playing at her lips. After a few minutes, when Samirah had yet to speak, Juhani gave in to her curiosity as she looked away, refusing to make eye contact.

"So… who wins this battle? The one with the most strength? Speed? Who wins this battle you speak of?" She spoke like she knew the answer would be petty and it only made Samirah smile wider.

"The one you feed." She spoke simply and in those simple words, something made Juhani stop. Her face slowly shifted from arrogance to wonder. It was the simplest answer. It was the simplest story but the meaning… held so much weight.

It was true. It was the same thing that the Jedi had been telling Juhani for years but somehow, in this simple form, it made sense. It was like someone trying to tell you that two plus two was four. They could try and teach it to you a hundred and one different ways but all you needed to know was that… two plus two… equaled four.

Simple but to the point.

Juhani suddenly felt silly. She felt guilty, ashamed, disgusted and upset that it had taken her so long to realize something like that. It took someone like this woman before her to believe in her when even she herself didn't. She smiled but it was sad smile made by self-stupidity. How had she been so blind? Quatra's death should not be in vain. She would not accept forgiveness for that… but she would try to make things right. She would accept the consequences of her actions and make things right from here on out. Her eyes stung a bit from the thoughts of her former master. Blind rage. She had given into that hound of anger and she had let it become her.

No more.

"Excuse me… I-I need a moment." She said quickly before standing up and walking towards the mouth of the cave. Samirah's eyes followed her a little worriedly but Juhani stopped briefly at the entrance, looking back over her shoulder. "I will not flee. That I swear." Samirah nodded even though she knew Juhani couldn't see her.

The Cathar was encased in the light, obscuring any view Samirah had of her. She trusted Juhani, but that didn't mean she couldn't worry about her. That story was true for all of us. She really hoped that Juhani would be ok and that the story would help her fight off the darkness. She was tainted—as were they all—but now she would have to fight harder to keep from falling again. She had fed that hound of anger and made it strong—she had known the only a fragment of the power it possessed and that was enough to tempt. Now she needed to beat it back into submission and feed the hound of peace and hope.

The Kath hound of light

"That was a nice story…" Her body froze as the voice sounded in her ear, making her turn her head slowly to see Carth with one eye open.

"C-Carth! I didn't mean to… well you see… you know…." She stammered before she swallowed hard so that she could at least get a sentence out. "Hi."

Close enough.

He chuckled before yawning, pulling his hand away from her waist in the process. Samirah stopped herself from frowning at the now cold spot around her waist. She had been so warm. She was tempted for a moment to grab his hand and pull it back around her but… wait, she couldn't do that. What was she thinking? That would just be… awkward. She mentally shook herself for not thinking straight, blaming it on the nights events. She just needed a bit of time to get everything back in order.

She took his movement as a sign for her to move as well. She sat up, holding on tightly to the jacket and moved away from him slowly. As she moved, she suppressed the groan that tried to escape her lips… her back was sore. Her muscles ached and screamed in protest to every move she made. She managed to finally move into a sitting position so that Carth could wake up and move into a sitting position of his own. She noted that his blaster pistol was wrapped securely in his hand, a finger on the trigger like he had been prepared to shoot. Shoot what? There was nothing in the cave was there? He slowly holstered the weapon, not noticing her anxious glances.

He rubbed his eyes before looking at her with a smile. She had already pulled her knees up to her chest and was now hugging them tightly to her chest like the Cathar had done before her. He reached over and pulled the jacket tighter around her arms to keep her warm. Her face blushed again as she mumbled a thank you. He nodded as they sat in silence for several moments, Samirah desperately wanting Juhani to come back. Maybe her presence would break the awkward silence.

Neither one of them made any eye contact.

"You had me worried." He finally admitted, his tone low as she felt the concern emanating from him.

"I told you not too. I would have been fine." He scoffed at the idea.

"You were drenched from head to toe, Samirah. It's a wonder you haven't caught a cold. And by the way, how did you end up all the way out here? The enclave is the other way." She opened her mouth to respond but closed it.

So she had taken a wrong turn. These plains were so hard to navigate. Usually she had a good sense of direction… usually. She had to give Carth credit. He did venture out into the storm to come find her. He even kept her safe from the storm. The loud clashes of the thunder… well, it made her jittery for some reason. She had never been afraid of them before but… this time she was. Was it because the sound echoed in the cave? Or was it something else? She didn't know. All she knew as that she owed Carth. His concern was heart warming.

"I'm sorry." She finally said in a small voice earning a shocked look from Carth. "I didn't mean to worry you. Thank you for coming to find me." She smiled at him, clutching the ends of his jacket so that it didn't slip off her shoulder. He scratched the back of his head, clearly at a loss at what to say.

"Uh… well, you're welcome." He said firmly and yet, awkwardly.

They fell into silence again, neither one sure what to say... again. It was beginning to become a habit of theirs. Samirah's clothes were still slightly damp but not as bad as the night before. She noted how Carth was the same, but only in little splotches around his clothes. She felt a little guilty but what could she do? She would have to find a way to make it up to him somehow. He didn't have to come find her, but he did. He didn't have to do half the things he did but… none the less, he did them.

And he called her reckless.

Moments passed before Juhani re-entered the cave, giving Samirah a resolute gaze. Samirah's torn robes were folded as neatly as possible in the Cathar's arms. After a few moments more of silence, she spoke to them both, acknowledging Carth's presence for the first time.

"I am ready to head to the enclave when you are ready, Samirah Alda and… her companion." She said with respect, making Carth and Samirah cast glances at each other. Samirah smiled back at Juhani, happy that she was willing to go back. That meant no cat fighting on the way there. That was really a relief in more ways than one.

"We're ready now, Juhani." She nodded as she waited for them to stand up and walk outside of the cave and into the warmth of the rising sun. Samirah let out a satisfying sigh as she felt warmed to the bone. It wasn't as good as Carth's warmth, but it was enough. If the weather stayed clear and warm, her clothes would be dry in no time.

But she wasn't giving up the jacket quite yet.

They all stretched out their arms and legs before setting out. The grass was beginning to dry but the smell of fresh rain fall was still in the air. It was still morning so most of Dantooine was still asleep and Samirah really wanted to keep it that way. It was a blessing that she didn't have to carry Juhani back considering how sore her back was but it would pass in due time. The pain would ease. For now, it was her proof that she hadn't given up on the Cathar.

Proof that she was a step closer to being a Jedi.

And a step closer to stopping Malak.

She walked slightly behind Juhani while Carth kept the same pace as Samirah. His hands were in his pockets while she wore his jacket. She really didn't need it now but… she was having trouble handing it back to him. It smelled just like him and somehow… that kept her relaxed. It was strange but the simple protection that the jacket provided her was all the protection she needed. It was enough to make her smile and _know_ that she was safe. He had come back for her. The idea made butterflies flutter in her stomach but she wasn't sure why… was that a good thing or was she just sick from her adventures that night?

This was just so confusing. She didn't know where she and Carth stood because it always changed. One moment they were enemies and the next, they were friends looking out for each other. What was odd, was that friends didn't quite fit. How truly strange.

Juhani casted a few glances back at the two humans, trying to unravel the mystery. She said they were not lovers… but that didn't seem to be truth. And yet, Juhani could hear the truth behind her words so what did that mean? What didn't make sense about it? She was pretty sure that she would never understand this woman behind her. Everything she said and did was out of the ordinary. Something she had not expected, that is for sure.

Samirah wished that the world was simple and that her mind wasn't so confused by these seemingly needless thoughts. Simple would have been best. She wanted everything was as simple as the story sounded. It made everything seem so simple. Feed the good hound, not the bad one. You would think that that was common sense but if you broke down into a more complex situation, it was hard… wasn't it? Was it that easy to tell the good Kath hound from the bad? Who did you _really _feed?

Who did she feed?

* * *

**IMPORTANT: Ok, so if you don't generally read my before/after notes. READ THIS ONE! I'm holding a poll on my profile page regarding this story. I have made the decision to allow you guys to choose where Samirah will head after she departs from Dantooine. I give it about 3-4 chapters (tops) before we leave. It may even be less (2-3) but I thought I'd give you a heads up and the poll will stay up until I post the last chapter on Dantooine.**

**You guys have been amazingly supportive and I thought I'd give you this option. ^-^ (Give the credit for this idea to omolina10. He proposed the idea ^-^)**

**I still plan on updating the next chapter this friday lest I lose another $10 (and money is important...). I will work diligently!**

**Thanks a mil,**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	20. Chapter 19: Where I Belong

**Disclaimer: No, I still don't own the rights to any of this... damn... I tried though, I really did...**

**Ok, now granted, I was going to be late in posting. I still lose the $10. But then, Fanfiction went and decided that it didn't want to let me long in and therefore thwarted my attempts to appease my readers with a new chapter! Now thats just playing dirty! So after countless hours of clicking 'Sign In' merely because I was aggravated and sad that I couldn't update... it allowed me withing the gates of this glorious place... So, here is the chapter along with my sincerest apologies.**

**Really, its only partly my fault... I am sorry, faithful readers... I bow my head in shame...**

* * *

**Where I Belong**

_"You rose into my life like a promised sunrise, brightening my days with the light in your eyes. I've never been so strong. Now I'm where I belong."_

"Beep boop beep beep."

The familiar cooing of the small droid beside Bastila had her groaning yet again. If this small droid persisted with his affection, she would turn it into scrap metal.

She tried to ignore him as she paced outside of the enclave where farmers and civilians mingled amongst the others. Some of them were waiting for the attention of the council, others looking for someone to fix their troubles and to help them get back on their feet. Occasionally you would find some who simply wanted to talk about anything and everything. Bastila didn't have the time for these people. She ignored the people who called at to her, asking if the Council could see them or any other trivial matters. She didn't have the patience for them. Her mind could hardly keep focused on the constant chatter that filled the air as it is. Her mind was full of the words the council had left her, full of concerns of the coming future and even more concerned with the fact that Samirah had gone missing.

She had never returned the night before.

She tried to tap into their bond but it was still a new thing to her. Something she didn't know about. And all she got was this quiet hum in the back of her mind… almost like an aching feeling but it was so miniscule that it was hard to touch. Why couldn't she reach it? Why couldn't she stretch her arm out and grasp it?

What was worse was that Mission had informed her that Carth seemingly disappeared not long after they returned without Samirah in tow. No doubt he had put it upon himself to locate and bring her back safely. What bothered Bastila was that they still had yet to return. She paced back and forth where the concrete of the Enclave met with the evergreen grass of Dantooine. The only remnants of the storm were the small twigs broken off from trees and strewn across the grass and whatever dew was left on the grass itself. It was still early in the morning and the lingering moisture in the air kept the planet humid for the moment. As usual, it would get hotter and the air would become dryer leaving no evidence that a storm was even there. Even the small bits of debris would find a home elsewhere.

T3-M3 cooed at her again, making her sigh in frustration. This was the other nuisance that had presented itself in her life. This droid had this weird… _fascination_ with her. It wouldn't leave her alone. Amidst her pacing, she spun around on her heel and narrowed her eyes darkly at the small droid, her body tensing from aggravation.

"Listen here you hunk of metal! Just because you were purchased by me on Taris does _not_ mean that you can follow me everywhere! Go fix, a-a-ship or something. Isn't that what you do?" She dumbly offered but the droid simply made audible sounds that would have possible been the equivalent to confusion. She rubbed the temples of her head, clearly not wanting to put up with this.

"Force, give me strength…"She muttered as T3 tilted his head to the side. She couldn't take out her frustration on this droid. He didn't deserve it even though he did constantly pester her with his constant chiming, beeping and affection for her.

As if on cue, the droid rolled up next to her and bumped into her leg as she let out another exasperated sigh. She stroked his head with the back of her hand, a firm frown setting into her features. Perhaps he was just as worried as she was. Samirah had that effect on people. She was fearless, strong and relentless but she was prone to making people worry. A lot. T3 cooed at the unexpected affection he was receiving and a faint smile appeared on her lips. Yes, she shouldn't take her anger out on this droid.

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

The words of the Jedi Code that she must live by. That she must always remember lest she fall prey to the seduction of a Force darker than anything one could dream of.

An hour ticked by and then another.

She had resumed her pacing, T3 still following her every movements and making audible sounds as if it was trying to communicate to her. Tell her that everything was going to be alright. Maybe it was just trying to calm her down but the only thing that would do that was the sight of Samirah and Carth, safe. She knew she should have gone with them. She _knew it!_ Maybe the assignment was too much for her. Maybe she wasn't ready to come into contact with the dark side—no matter how minuscule it was. It was too soon. She wasn't prepared.

She casted her gaze out into the plains just as two figures rounded a corner. To be more accurate, three but one person was holding another. Against the glare of the sun, Bastila couldn't make out who was who. She took tentative steps, her hand lifted above her brow to shield her eyes as she squinted to see who was approaching her. A cloud briefly rolled over the sun, giving Bastila the moment to see clearly and she suddenly feared the worst.

Carth was approaching with the Cathar walking beside him, clearly doing so of her own free will. Samirah, however, was cradled in Carth's arms and his jacket was pulled snuggly around her. Her head was pressed against his chest and her hands were nestled across her chest like a child. Her hair had fallen free from her usual ponytail, cascading over her shoulders in natural waves and curls. Without another moment to spare, Bastila sprinted out to them as T3 tried his best to keep up. She barely gave Carth a chance to stop moving before her hands were cupping Samirah's cheeks, moving her hair from her face and checking for injuries. How badly was she hurt? Was it serious? Was there any internal bleeding? Were her ribs broken? Bruised? A coma? What was wrong with her? Her blood went cold at the final idea that snaked around in her head.

_Did she fall prey to…_

She could hardly choke out a question to Carth, cursing herself for not feeling anything through the bond. Wouldn't she have felt it? Wouldn't she have known?

"Bastila, relax," Carth reassured her. "She's just tired and worn out. I promise."

"Are you sure? What about this wound on her cheek?" She inquired, turning Samirah's head to get a better look at the wound.

It looked as if someone had yanked a sharp object across her cheek in a rough, jagged motion making it look very painful and far from clean cut. It bled slightly from where the scab had started to form but was breaking away. From the looks of it, she had only wiped at the blood a few times but didn't really care, leaving the blood smeared slightly on her cheek.

"She, uh, well…" Carth started, not sure how to explain it. Bastila's calculating eyes shot up to him before drifting over to Juhani. The expression on her face conveyed what no one was saying.

"So you are responsible for this." It was less of a question and more of a statement.

The Cathar nodded her head slowly, the guilt evident on her face. She had put that Jedi through hell and in return, she kept finding a reason not to kill her. It was more than she was sure she deserved. Bastila's eyes didn't move from her face, her eyes locked on to the Cathar's features, measuring her up. Carth on the other hand, felt a little out of place as the air suddenly got thick around him. Juhani looked uncomfortable and Bastila was a mixture of annoyance and detest for the seemingly redeemed Jedi before her. Bastila wasn't happy, not the least bit. This Cathar was more trouble than she was worth, to her.

How dare she. How _dare _she. To show her face after having put Samirah through whatever hell she had undergone. How dare she even _think _that she—

_There is no… emotion… there is… only peace…_

The voice echoed in her mind and it took her moment to realize that the quiet voice was not her own. She slowly turned her head until her curious gaze met the tired eyes of the small woman in Carth's arms. She smiled faintly at Bastila as Carth and Juhani took notice of her. Bastila wasn't sure how to respond and only found herself staring at Samirah with a dumbfounded look. Her eyes half open but obviously aware of the situation unfolding around her. Her head bobbed and she struggled to keep her eyes open.

_Calm yourself… she is not to blame, Bastila… I'm just… tired… can I sleep… now?_

Bastila found herself smiling like one would at a small child asking a simple question as if it was the hardest thing in the world to ask. She nodded her head slowly as Sami's head fell back against Carth's chest making him stiffen for a moment. That small motion always startled him because she would snuggle against him like a child seeking warmth. He found this contentment settle in deep within him each time she did that. He couldn't stop the soft smile that overcame him as her eyes fell again as she drifted away. How quickly she fell back asleep…

He didn't know what had just transpired between the two Jedi but he did know what was going to happen to the one in his arms. She was going to go to bed. In a _real_ bed. Not some cold, stone floor within the confines of a drafty cave. She needed a good night's rest… or day seeing as how the night was over with.

"I'm going to take her to her room. She has one in the enclave, right?" Carth prompted, pulling Bastila's thoughts away from Samirah and making her look at him.

"Of course, though, she rarely uses it. I can't seem to figure out why, either. There's nothing wrong with the room but she prefers to sleep in the confines of the _Ebon Hawk._" She furrowed her brow as she remembered all the nights that she returned back to the ship instead of to her designated room in the enclave. She didn't get it.

Carth smiled knowingly as he adjusted his hold on her. She didn't seem bothered at his movements; she just simply adjusted and snuggled into his chest again until she was comfortable. Each movement brought a smile to his face and this… warmth. He was just at peace, having her at his side.

"Well, she doesn't have a choice this time. I'll take her there…" His tone of voice caught Bastila's attention but she didn't give it much more though. She was focused on something else as Carth started to walk away.

Bastila felt like this small little flame in her mind had dimmed slightly, becoming a small hue in the far corners of her mind. It flickered and flared but remained lit and just a barely noticeable flame. Was that what Samirah was? A flame? Was that what she was through the bond? This would be something she would have to ask the council. Maybe they could shed more light on what this _bond_ truly entailed. If she was too keep a close eye on Samirah, she would need to know what to do. She would need to know what to look for and thus, the guidance of the council would be the place to go.

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought Bastila's gaze back to Juhani. She fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable around Bastila. She knew very well that she was held in high regards by Bastila but that didn't mean she had to forgo all pleasantries.

"Excuse me… Padawan Bastila… I must meet with the council. I am sure they have much to say to me. Fare thee well." She quickly made her exit, avoiding any contact with Bastila for fear of angering her more.

Bastila's eyes followed the Cathar until she could no longer see even her shadow. Apparently her meeting with the council would have to wait until they had finished with Juhani. It was definitely unexpected to find her returning so she was sure the meeting would possibly be a while. Should she check on Samirah? No, Carth had her. He would take care of her… she hoped. If not, she and Carth would have a few words. So, what should she do now to pass the time?

"Beep, boooooop." She glanced down at the little droid who had yet to move but remained by her side. She sighed heavily. Of course he would have stayed. He had nowhere else to go, did he?

"Do you really have to be so close?" She said with an exasperated look. The droid tilted his head and just looked at her with what could only be described as a curious look. She slowly shook her head, giving up. "Fine. You may stay, but I must warn you that I shall be meditating."

If droids could smile, she was fairly certain this one would have. She fought the smile that tried to form as she walked away, T3 following closely behind. She didn't have to worry about Samirah for now… she was home. Bastila would meditate for now and hope that the Force gave her the answers she was looking for. That it would give her the guidance that she was fairly sure she would need in the coming days. Something told her it was vital. Maybe it was a feeling. Maybe it was the Force.

Maybe it was Samirah.

* * *

A passing Jedi had pity on Carth and was kind enough to open Samirah's room for him. He had seen the Republic pilot trying to keep his hold on Samirah while trying to open the door at the same time. Carth quietly thanked the Jedi as he went about his business, leaving Carth to his own. He walked inside to find her room rather plain. There was a bed and a small table beside it with a lit lamp. A desk was against the opposite wall with a chair pushed in and cluttered with datapads and old books. It had only two drawers running down the side and a small mirror hanging on the wall. The last piece of furniture was a very, very small dresser which probably served to hold her spare robes. Other than that, it was really absent of any color or furnishings what so ever. The walls were painted a crème-like brown and the floor was an even darker, chocolate brown. Her bed was a light contrast with its crème and beige sheets and bedspread.

He gently laid her down on the bed, her head moving from his chest and falling back against the pillow. He thought about removing his jacket but couldn't bring himself to do it when he saw one of her hands clutching the fabric. He just smiled gently as he pulled the blankets up to her chin and tucked her in. She was everything that a child was. He was happy to see that… for once, she seemed at peace. Her face was calm and serene instead of pained or sad as it usually was.

He pushed his hands into his pockets and turned to leave. He had reached the door when he heard her murmur something in her sleep. He turned his head to see her squeezing his jacket in her hands, murmuring incoherently. He slowly returned back to the bedside and knelt down, straining his ear to hear her. Her head was facing the wall so he tried to get closer to hear what she was saying but her voice was so faint that he was unsure. Was she dreaming? Was it a nightmare? What did she see?

And then, without warning, she turned her head making her face mere centimeters away from his face. Her breath came out in steady and shallow intervals against his face. For a moment, he couldn't move. He was frozen in place by the sudden change and shock it brought with it. He could see every curve of her face, the fullness of her lips and how each strand of hair would frame her face. He could see the long eyelashes that adorned her eyes and feel the warmth of her breath on his skin. His hand slowly reached out, wanting to touch her cheek but stopped when she spoke.

"…no…" It was barely a whisper but Carth could hear her. It was impossible not to, having her face so close to his own. The rest was incoherent and he had no hope of trying to decipher what each sound meant.

He pulled his hand away, content with just watching her as she slept. She was… beautiful. He had never allowed himself to think such a thought, but how can you deny what is truth? She was sweet girl and by just being in her presence, felt renewed. He didn't know what to make of that though.

He slowly pulled his face away, feeling it grow a bit warm as he fell back against the floor. Her sudden movement had surprised him. It was something he wasn't prepared for. He felt his cheeks flush a bit but refused to believe that he was… _blushing._ Even thinking the word made him frown… he was just surprised, that was it. All of that was just out of shock. He pushed himself up from the floor, straightening his shirt when he was standing again. He started for the door again, shooting her a final glance with a smile when she murmured again in her sleep.

He would let her rest. He would be able to rest easy knowing she was safe and sound again. Though, he wished he knew what she was thinking… what she was dreaming about. He opened the door and stepped out, letting it shut quietly behind him before he made his way slowly through the enclave and back the _Ebon Hawk._ He could really do with a shower while he waited for her to wake up again. Maybe even a nap of his own. He had spent most of the night half asleep and half alert in the event they were attacked by the Cathar. One could never be too safe.

Leaving the enclave, he couldn't help the small, content smile he had on his face. It would take a lot to make it go away.

* * *

Samirah rolled around a few times in bed until her eyes started to flutter open. That musky scent filled her senses, bringing a smile to her face as she snuggled into her pillow, squeezing it close to her face. She stopped as she realized that it wasn't her pillow that had the soothing scent but the jacket wrapped around her. She pulled it around her shoulders and pulled her knees up to her chest as she smiled under the sheets of her bed, inhaling deeply the aroma that made her smile.

She paused. Pillow? Sheets? Bed?

She immediately sat upright, startled at the new realization. She was in her room at the enclave. When did she get here? How long had she been asleep? Her body ached as she moved and she knew very well why but there was nothing that she could really do about it at the moment. She just needed to get moving. At the moment though, there was one thing she could do something about. She climbed out of bed, reluctantly relieving herself of Carth's jacket and laying it neatly on her bed. The room felt a bit nippy to her as she tiptoed over to the refresher so that she could shower.

She could really use a shower.

The hot water soothed her aches and she had half a mind to stay in the shower for a few hours more… but the prunes forming on her hands told her it was time to be done. She quickly washed her hair and her body to remove all the grime and dirt that she could feel in every pore of her skin. When she was satisfied, she stepped out and quickly dried before finding a fresh set of robes too wear. She noticed that the robe she had lent to Juhani was still missing but she didn't really mind all that much. It was ripped and there was only so much you could do to repair it.

She caught a glance of herself in the mirror and frowned at the cut on her cheek. It looked worse then what it was but it still needed to be treated. She opted for cleaning it and placing a bandage on it for now until she could find a better course of action.

When she was dressed, dry and bandaged up, she started to brush her hair as a knock came at the door. That was all she got before the door opened and someone walked in to see Samirah brushing the knots and tangles from her damp hair. She casted a glance at her guest to find it was Bastila and couldn't stop the small smile she had.

"Bastila, what brings you here?" The Jedi frowned as she sat on Samirah's bed, neatly avoiding Carth's jacket and resting her chin in the palm of her hand. For some reason, the sight of his jacket made her want to frown but that was a thought for another time. She didn't come to discuss Carth.

"Well that is quiet the question to ask. You do realize that I've been worried sick about you, correct?" Samirah placed the brush delicately on the table, turning in the chair so that she was facing Bastila.

"You know that wasn't on purpose." Bastila shook her head.

"You still had me worried, on purpose or not. Do you know how long I waited outside the enclave for you and Carth to return? I was stuck with T3 for hours! I finally was able to rid myself of him by pawning him off to Mission…" Samirah frowned, not liking that she had worried her this much. She didn't even know it was possible to worry this woman. She just seemed so… worry free. Add to that the fact that she put up with T3 for so long and it boggled the mind.

"I suppose an apology just won't do?" Samirah asked innocently. Bastila just smiled softly, not able to resist. Damn her child like self.

"Just this once—next time though, you won't be able to get off so easily." She stated as Samirah bounced out of her chair and threw her arms around Bastila, surprising her with a big hug. Bastila froze, unsure about what to do. She slowly patted Samirah on the back until she let go with a smile.

Bastila hadn't expected that show of affection. She wasn't used to any kind of… hug or friendship such as that. The idea of it brought a small, content smile to her face. A friend. The idea seemed intriguing but she wasn't sure if Samirah considered her as such.

"Thanks, Bastila. I really am sorry." Bastila just waved off the apology as she stood, smoothing out her robes. Samirah quickly pulled her hair back up into a ponytail, the usual strands of hair falling in her eyes.

"Apology accepted. It is good to see you… home again." Samirah paused at the word _home_.

She had never used that word. Was this home for Samirah? All this time spent here and she never dared to think—to even dream that this would become her home. It had been so long since she had a place that she could call home. It been so long since she had people who were like… family to her. All her time as a scout, she never settled on any particular planet. There was no point. She would never stay there, would never be able to truly call it home. The _Silver Meridian _was more of a home than any planet could have ever been. But now… she had a _real_ home, didn't she? The idea brought a small smile to her face, a sort of sad smile that didn't escape Bastila's notice.

"What, what's wrong? What did I say?" She questioned in alarm as Samirah shook her head.

"No, nothing. You just welcomed me home." She turned to smile at her, giving Bastila the biggest grin she could. "Thank you."

Bastila didn't have any words to give her. She was at a loss to say the least. She never thought much of it… Dantooine had always been her home. It was all that she had ever really known save for the few, small memories she had of her time before the Jedi came for her. Samirah… well Samirah was Samirah. She simply… didn't know.

"Come. The council is waiting for us." She said with a small smile of her own as Samirah nodded.

"Right. I'm guessing they've already spoken to Juhani about… well about recent events so I guess it's my turn. Lovely." She smiled but it wasn't an eager smile which only amused Bastila that much more. Samirah casted a quick look at her bed, debating whether or not she should bring Carth's jacket.

She better leave it. It probably wouldn't go over too well with the Council if she was holding Carth's jacket. They'd probably get the wrong idea. Though, she couldn't stop smiling at the kind gesture it displayed. That was his favorite jacket and he left it in her care…

They exited the room and slowly made their way to the Council Chambers. Bastila had never seen a Jedi like Samirah. She didn't know if her attitude would help… or bring more trouble. She told the council what she felt and wasn't afraid to walk out on them if she thought the need to do so was there. It bewildered Bastila. It was like the moment she thought she could predict Samirah, she would do something that would make you rethink who she was. She glanced at Samirah from the corner of her eye to see that small smile still in place. What was she thinking about now? Could she tap into Samirah's thoughts with the bond?

No. She didn't want to intrude nor did she want Samirah to do the same.

_Let's meet with the Council and be done with this,_ she thought.

* * *

Canderous was annoyed.

Severely annoyed.

He figured that fighting off these Mandalorians would have proved at least slightly challenging but they couldn't hold they ground, much less a blaster. It was really pathetic. It shamed him that this was what his people were perceived to be. Yes, everyone thought they were bloodthirsty animals but usually with good reason. Usually it was their talent at wielding a blaster or at being resilient—here, they were nothing. He didn't kill the Mandalorians for the sake of the settlers—then again, maybe he did. Maybe he didn't like what they were being pushed into, that they were being plagued by people who dared to call themselves Mandalorians.

He was seated on a bench in the courtyard of the enclave, watching as the Jedi passed by. He didn't exactly have a fondness for Jedi but he didn't exactly hate them either. Their way of life was drastically different then his own. They tried to balance the universe using peace and remaining neutral whenever possible. He couldn't understand that. Sometimes, war was unavoidable and yet they tried to avoid it whenever possible. He liked to remind himself about the Mandalorian War. He would have won that war had the Jedi not interfered but he held no grudge against them either. He actually revered Revan and Malak for taking the initiative to save the Republic.

Try as they might to stay neutral, the Jedi would always be considered allies of the Republic.

What irked him though was not that they didn't join earlier but that the council didn't like the idea of joining at all. Had Revan and Malak not joined in, the Republic would be under Mandalorian control. The Council liked to justify their hesitation as merely waiting for the opportune moment. Canderous knew better. There was no opportune moment. There was no perfect moment to save the Republic. Had they waited any longer then the Republic surely would have fallen to the Mandalorian.

_That_ was what bothered Canderous about Jedi.

He wouldn't ever understand their methods nor their means. It really was a travesty in his book.

Canderous wasn't sure how long he sat in that courtyard, lost in thought about events not in his control but however long it was… it was worth it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw too familiar faces emerge from one of the hallways. He smirked to himself as they started to walk right by him until the kid caught sight of him and a grin of her own stretched across her face.

"Canderous! What are you doing here?" Samirah said with enthusiasm as she deviated away from the walkway and towards him. Bastila seemed a bit irritated but followed her to his bench.

"Well if it isn't the kid. It's kind of hard to leave a planet when the ship's captain isn't exactly on board—well, without stealing it. But I'm sure I wouldn't hear the end of it once you found out." He grinned as she laughed.

"Canderous, you wouldn't be able to leave me behind. The guilt would overwhelm you." She joked and only earned a grunt from him. Then a thought crossed her mind, a fact that was evident to Canderous as her eyes narrowed at him. Now what did he do?

"You haven't ripped my swoop bike apart have you? That would not have been a good move on your part." She said in a low voice, making him snort in response.

He knew who the tattletale was.

"Now what has soldier boy gone and said about me behind me now?" He mused. "Nothing was ripped away that couldn't be replaced. A few wires… maybe a dent or two." The way he spoke about it made it that much more horrifying for her.

"You didn't." He just smiled at that look of horror.

"Relax kid, I didn't touch the bike. Hell, I modified the damn thing. It runs better than it did before with the parts I was able to find while marooned on this peace-loving planet. Why would I want to destroy that piece of art?" He questioned with a grin. "My blood is practically running through all that wiring."

Samirah rolled her eyes as she relaxed, happy that he loved the bike a little too much to destroy it. She wasn't sure what she would have done had he brought it upon himself to destroy the beautiful bike, but she would have to think of something awful… like hang out with Carth. They seemed to get along real well… ish. Her smile just grew bigger at the thought, making Canderous curious.

"So where might you and the Princess be heading?" He inquired, shooting Bastila a toothy grin. She had remained silent but not without that sneer on her face. He got the distinct impression that she wasn't all that fond of him.

"To the council chambers to meet with the council, yet again." Samirah replied, ignoring the glares Bastila was shooting them both. "I'm not sure what they want this time but I'm sure it'll have something to do with—" Bastila jabbed her in the ribs making Samirah let out a small grunt.

"It was a _pleasure,_ Canderous but we must get going. We are expected." She said with finality before grabbing Samirah's forearms and yanking her away. Canderous watched with a grin as Samirah shot him an apologetic smile. She really didn't have a choice in the matter.

When they disappeared behind the walls of the enclave, Canderous found that he was now somehow satisfied. He pushed himself off of the bench and slowly began to return back to the _Ebon Hawk. _These meetings with the council tended to take a while. He wasn't like Carth, he didn't hang around outside the door until they came out. He didn't need to do that to figure out that they would take their sweet time inside. The Jedi weren't people of action, they were people of words. They were more likely to talk you into your grave then to beat you into it.

As he left the enclave and boarded the _Ebon Hawk, _he glanced at the swoop bike that was missing a few wires. Wires that had been angrily ripped out…

He smirked to himself as he opened up a drawer by the workbench and dug around until he found some tools and a few extra wires. He wasn't going to tell her that it was too late to stop him from causing damage. He had ripped those wires out before soldier boy had informed him of the Mandalorian problem and how the kid could use his help. It was a good thing that they had a repair shop here that sold the components he would need for now. He had nothing else to do for a while so he would start repairing this bike once more until the kid was done with answering the calls of the council.

Hell, he would wait until Carth passed by. It was always a good day when he could irritate that man. It didn't take much—he was always teetering on the edge of anger and skepticism so it only took a snide remark to bring out his irritation. He was sure that once Carth found out that Samirah was back at the council, preparing for whatever else they required of her he would march back to the enclave and sit outside the chamber doors until they returned.

That boy was just too wound up. It made him an easy target for Canderous's amusement. That wasn't always a good thing for the person on the receiving end but at least Canderous didn't have a dull moment.

He started working on the bike, tweaking and repairing the loose wires and replacing the ones that had no hope of recovery. He wasn't in a hurry so he treated each repair like it was a delicate process. His mind was only partly focused on the work in front of him while the other half mildly wondered on a question that he had been debating on for quite some time.

_What happens from here on out?_

Was he going to stick around or carry on with his usual agenda of being a gun for hire? He couldn't sit around on some peace-loving settlement like this filled with Jedi. That just wasn't his style. He would go mad from sitting around. Then again, the kid may not be staying here much longer. He could hear all the Jedi talking about her remarkable progress, her quick understanding of the principles and the rapid manifestation of her abilities in the Force. Some muttered about her idealism and how that would be what stopped her from progressing further down the ranks of Jedi.

He thought that they were just too damn afraid of her potential. There was nothing wrong with her ideals. She knew what the universe needed. She _was_ what the universe needed. They just couldn't see it. Half of him wanted to hang around just to see how far she could go. How she would prove them wrong. He would never understand the Jedi. It was probably better if he never did. It wasn't worth it to try and decipher each hidden meaning. If it's blue, then just say that it's damn blue! Don't skirt around the answer, just tell it. To hell with the riddles….

He shook his head as he rewired the bike, closing the panel. He was about to start working on tweaking it a bit more when he heard the familiar steps of a certain pilot. Canderous let the slow grin creep across his face as he wiped a smudge off of the bike.

When Carth rounded the corner, Canderous could tell that he had just woken up from a nap and had taken yet another shower. His hair was still wet and he seemed half awake with a cup of hot coffee in his hands. When Carth realized that Canderous was back, his face fell a bit. He didn't have the patience for this Mandalorian.

"Canderous." Carth said by way of greeting.

"Soldier boy."

Carth ignored the nickname and was headed for the hatch of the ship when Canderous spoke up again, unable to resist the urge for a bit of teasing.

"Hey, Onasi. You're not off to see our favorite little Jedi, are you?" Carth paused at the mention of his last name.

As far as he knew, that was the first time Canderous had ever used his name, whether it was his first or last. Then the rest of what he said fell into place. He turned to shoot Canderous a puzzled expression as the Mandalorian glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"As a matter of fact I am. I wanted to make sure she was doing ok… why?" He hated it when Canderous knew something that he didn't. He hated it when _anyone_ knew something that he didn't. It was like everyone was sharing a secret and he was the one person they deliberately didn't want to tell.

Canderous grinned knowing all too well that he had caught Carth. Curiosity was a strong thing. No matter what you may say or do, you will always want to know and it's that wanting that makes you cave in. It's like a child wanting to breathe—you can't stop it, it just has to be. Canderous put down his tools to look at Carth, that big grin still in place.

"I saw the princess and the kid heading to the council chambers not too long ago. Said it was important and then they were off. Kid seemed to be doing ok, back to her old self for the most part." He commented on the side, thinking back to that bubbly disposition she had. Except of course when she mentioned the bike… which brought up another point.

"You're trying to get me in trouble, soldier boy." Canderous said, his grin shifting into a smirk. He wasn't angry, but he had underestimated Carth. He didn't think the man would go as far as to tell on him. That was just playing dirty.

Carth's face remained neutral and innocent as he shrugged.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Canderous grunted, not believing a lick of it. "Now what's this about them going to the council? Are you sure that's where they were going?" Carth questioned to avoid the accusations and already appearing slightly agitated that he had missed out on something. He hated being left out! He could not emphasize that enough. Canderous just shrugged indifferently.

"I don't know, that's just what the kid said. That was… an hour ago?" He guessed, not really worried about keeping track of time.

There was no point on this planet. Not unless you knew the Kath hound's sleeping schedule… and then that's where he would draw the line. He wasn't that desperate for amusement. That was getting pathetic. There was no sport in it. Then again, everyone here was practically a peace loving bunch and it was getting on his last damn nerves. He was usually a man of action, not of sitting idly by while someone else takes on the dangerous jobs. Or whatever jobs Samirah was given.

Carth nodded his head slowly, obviously not pleased that he was left out again by the will of the council. He was beginning to think that the council didn't let anyone inside other than Jedi. He was also pretty sure that it wouldn't go over very well if he marched inside… but he didn't want to just wait outside the chamber doors and he didn't want to wait at the _Ebon Hawk _either. He frowned realizing that he didn't have a whole lot of choices. Rather he did, but he didn't like any of them.

"What are you going to do, soldier boy?" Canderous prompted, curious about his new course of action. Carth took his sweet time answering and Canderous wondered if he was even listening. It would have been a new development in their bantering, but not one that he couldn't work with.

"I'm going to wait for them to get out. Damn, why didn't they tell me…?" He muttered as Canderous shrugged indifferently.

"Maybe because you worry too much." It was a plain answer but it was filled with the truth. Canderous wasn't really teasing this time, but simply telling Carth what he thought.

"Worry too much?" Carth said in shock. "I don't worry too much, she's just needlessly reckless! I swear, she dives into danger head first without any protection and if someone doesn't watch out for her, she's going to end up in more danger than she can handle!" He nearly shouted, earning the full attention of the Mandalorian.

"I may not have spent nearly as much time as you have around the kid, but take my word on it—she can handle herself. She's a strong kid and if she does get into danger, it'll only make her stronger. It'll do her some good." Carth rolled his eyes. Now he was getting advice from Canderous.

That's obviously what he's always wanted.

"Right… and the next thing we know she ends up dead…"

"Just think about it…" Canderous said, ignoring the last remark as he started to work on the bike again. He was done teasing the pilot for today. He was wound up tighter then these bolts on the bike. Not to say it wasn't fun to tease him but he was sure soldier boy would tell a certain Jedi and he didn't feel like getting on her bad side today.

Not yet, anyway.

Canderous heard Carth's footsteps leave the cargo bay and out into the enclave, no doubt to wait until their Jedi friends were done. Canderous started to wipe down the bike, not seeing any more need to tweak and fix it. He had done enough and he didn't feel like ripping anything out. Not when it was nearly perfect. A few more components would be nice but they were hard to find at a settlement like this. Maybe if they left Dantooine, he would be able to find a new place to shop for hardware.

He smiled at the idea. He had subconsciously started to consider this ship home. The crew didn't bother him as much; they kept away for the most part. Samirah was the only one who ever ventured out to talk to him which was… quite the surprise. Most people feared Mandalorians—that's what made his job as a Merc so easy. Now, he didn't know. Was he losing his touch? Or was it simply that Samirah did have this tendency to hang around danger? Carth did say she found danger where ever it lurked. She was odd alright, but she was also oddly entertaining.

He didn't have the entire answer to his question but he did have a partial one. He had nowhere to be. He could hang around for a while. See where they headed and he could always leave if he felt it necessary. He grinned to himself. A Mandalorian finding himself with this unlikely crew and calling it home. What were the odds?

But this was where he was. This was what his home was going to be now. How funny the word felt to him. How foreign it now seemed to him…

* * *

**IMPORTANT: If you haven't voted please do! You still have time to vote which planet you would like to visit after Dantooine and if no decision can be made... I may have to flip a coin haha so if you haven't already, I encourage you to take the time to pick a place ^-^ Most people so far want HK and Jolee in the story so if you agree, pick on of those two places! ^-^ Thanks**

**Ok, so to briefly explain this chapter- after I wrote it, I realized that I had sort of incorporated the idea of everyone kind of finding a home here. The only people not in the chapter are Mission and Zaalbar, but that'll be explained ;) I can't spoil it for you guys just yet.**

**Thank you guys so much for reading and this will be the end of my little rant! Until next time (If I don't post by Friday, you can hunt me down. I would understand). ^-^**

**Much lover and adoration,**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	21. Chapter 20: Too Safe

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR or anything Star Wars related... except for the imaginery scenarios that I create. Those are mine. And this bottle of soda. It is also mine.**

**Ok. I know I apologize in just about every chapter and I'm about to apologize again. My computer has been having what would be best described as 'technical difficulties". In a nut shell: It erased this chapter more times than I could possibly bare. I believe I have fixed the problem and if not- well then I'm chucking this baby out the window and hijacking someone elses computer for my own needs. Having to rewrite this chapter was by no means fun because each time caused me to change certain bits because I couldn't remember how I had it the first time. I really do hope this chapter meets your expectations. If not, please let me know and I will try my best to fix it and re-update ASAP. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Too Safe **

"_The way to be safe is never to feel secure."_

Well, she couldn't complain. That was for sure.

After a while, you just kind of see these things coming. It's to be expected, especially when dealing with the council. Samirah had this small little inkling of what the council was going to say and that definitely didn't prove her wrong. First they congratulated her on graduating from an apprentice to a Padawan. Apparently it was a feat to do so in such little time but they didn't seem as surprised as she expected them to be. Perhaps they were just anxious for her to leave and start fighting evil and what not. The mere idea of it brought a smile to her face. It was like the stories she heard growing up, the kind of stories that made every child idolize the Jedi and dream of becoming one. The kind that made them grab a stick and pretend it was a mighty lightsaber that often became a beacon of hope. They'd fight evil and they'd always win. Their fairytale Jedi were invincible and almighty... they were perfection.

But it was so different from the stories… so very different.

"For good or ill, you are now a true Padawan. The time has come for you and Bastila to investigate the dream you shared." Master Vrook spoke in a clear and strong voice; the urgency of the mission clear even to Samirah. "The secrets to stopping Malak may lie hidden within the ancient Dantooine ruins you both saw in your visions."

"I have nothing left to teach you, Padawan, though a Jedi is ever learning. Even the Masters know their training is but in its infancy." Master Zhar had this twinkle in his eyes, and an almost proud smile as he spoke. Perhaps he was the happiest one of them all. "Now is the time for you to seek wisdom outside the training chambers."

She nodded slowly, rolling the new mission around in her mind and trying to figure out her next course of action. It was a sudden assignment but not far from unexpected.

"Thank you masters… I will do as you ask." Master Vandar nodded, offering one last piece of advice.

"Keep Bastila close to you, Padawan Samirah. There is a powerful link between you and you will need to draw strength from each other during the trials ahead. Keep that in mind always… Padawan." His gaze on her seemed to hold a lot of weight on her and she fidgeted, nodding quickly.

He made it sound like she had to fight the entire Sith on her own and she wasn't sure if she could do that. One person against an entire army never turned out well. Sure, there were some stories where the lone hero would win but... it was always at a high cost. Most stories were famous though because the single person held their own for so long before they died horribly. That wasn't exactly the kind of story she wanted.

She bowed to the council, saying her good-byes before turning to leave with Bastila. She felt a little uneasy not just by what the council said but also because she knew very little about the bond. What it entailed, what she could expect and so on. Personally, Samirah wasn't sure if she liked the idea of someone poking around in her head. Did it make them telepathic? Jedi could do that? So then did that mean that Bastila knew what she was thinking? Could they do that weird thing where they finished each other's sentences? She didn't want that. That would be weird. Was it one sided? Could others tell through the Force that they had such a thing? The thoughts swirled around her head until she decided answers would probably be nice. She'd get a lot further by asking rather than constantly pondering the idea.

Before they reached the door of the council chambers, Samirah stopped Bastila and pulled her to the side, making sure that the council had adjourned and moved to discuss other issues at hand before continuing. Bastila looked at her curiously before glancing at the hand still clinging to her forearm.

"Samirah, is something the matter?" She shook her head.

"No… not exactly. I just wanted to know a bit more about this bond of ours… not that I'm against it but if it means you'll know my every thought and so on then… that would be a bit nerve wracking, wouldn't it? Not that I'm trying to say that I'm hiding something but I think the same can be said about you if I could hear your thoughts. Some things are just never meant to be heard. They're thoughts and not words for a reason, correct? If not, there would be no point in having private thoughts... it would just be... a second voice." She was trying not to sound the part of a fool but she was getting the distinct impression she was. She let out an exasperated sigh, closing her eyes, still unsure what to make of this. "How did our _fates_ ever become linked…?" It was a question she hadn't been expecting an answer too.

"I… I don't know." Bastila frowned as she looked away. "Believe me, I certainly don't find the prospect of being joined to you enjoyable in any fashion."

"Well… thanks a lot." Samirah said half smiling and half surprised. That wasn't what she expected but if that's how Bastila felt… it would have to do. Bastila immediately realized the error in what she said and immediately tried to back track.

"Please, forgive me. I did not mean to imply that you were repulsive in any sense of the word. That we shared something so personal is just not something I'm used to." She reassured, giving an apologetic smile.

"I can hardly blame you for feeling that way then…" Samirah muttered. "It's new to us both so we'll just have to make due, right? So we check out these ancient ruins. Should we bring Mission along? I'm sure Carth needs time to rest after our little adventure."

The thought of it brought a slight blush to her cheeks along with the tiniest smile. He didn't have to come, but he did. He was sweet. Protective and prone to worrying a lot, but very sweet. The mere thought of him made her smile and her smile made Bastila very curious. Through the bond, Bastila felt something warm and comforting flitter through. It was like this warmth was spreading from her core and filling out into her arms but she couldn't place it. What did such a feeling—a feeling of comfort and protection—mean?

"Samirah?" She inquired, bringing the young scout out of her thoughts with a start. And then it was gone. Replaced by that happy, innocent smile and energy. How odd. She ignored the feeling for the moment, mentally noting to revisit it at a later date. "Mission would be a great asset. Her ingenuity would be greatly appreciated."

Samirah nodded her head slowly. Mission would be very helpful, actually. Just so long as she didn't decide to blow up the ruins out of frustration. Canderous seemed a little bored but this was a delicate mission… she wasn't sure he could handle being delicate. Zaalbar probably wouldn't last without a meal or two packed for the very, very small journey.

Speaking of food…

"Hey, Bastila…" Samirah asked a little shyly as she felt the grumble in her stomach, rather than hear it. "Do you care if we grab a bite to eat? I haven't exactly eaten…"

"What?" It was more a response than a question. Bastila hadn't even considered the thought that Samirah had yet to eat.

Food wasn't a bad idea before they left for the ruins. Bastila had already eaten though, so she would more than likely speak more with Master Dorak about the ruins. There was no point in Samirah starving herself so it would be beneficial that she ate. Bastila smiled at the sheepish look Samirah was giving her. Bastila had the feeling that when she was a child… she was irresistible and charming.

"Alright, how about we meet outside the enclave in… two hours?" That would be enough time for Samirah to eat and for her to find Mission. "Be sure to find Mission and inform her of our plans so that she can also be ready."

"I think I can do that."

Samirah smiled as they both opened the dual doors to the Council Chambers. Bastila had opened her mouth, ready to respond with a comment when Samirah suddenly froze. She followed her gaze to meet an apparently unhappy Carth Onasi. His arms were crossed over his chest, tapping a finger on his bare bicep. They were bare because his usual orange jacket seemed to be missing so all he wore was a thin t-shirt and slacks. His hair was a mess but somehow he managed to make it look good. The stubble around his chin completing his look all together. The look of a soldier.

"C-Carth! W-What are you doing up and about already?" Samirah stumbled over her words, the surprise evident on her face and in her voice.

"I could ask you the same thing." He countered as she averted her eyes. "Shouldn't you be resting? What is the council sending you off to do this time?" She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, clearly uncomfortable. When she opened her mouth to respond, Bastila decided to chime in. She didn't have time to for him to pester Samirah.

"That is hardly any of your concern, Carth. Samirah is in my care and I will look out for her." His eyes flashed over to her before back to Samirah.

"Like hell it doesn't concern me. Samirah…" There was a warning underlying his tone and through the bond, Bastila felt the uneasiness emitting from Samirah.

_Do we have to keep it from him…?_

Samirah and Bastila looked at each other and the discomfort built up inside Samirah. She wanted Carth to come, she felt safe around him and felt like nothing in the galaxy could harm her… but perhaps she was relying too heavily on him. Perhaps it wasn't good that she felt so safe around him on the battle field. She wasn't invincible, clearly not. She suffered more wounds than needed because she was just so reckless but she always knew the danger. She was aware of its presence and she knew of her recklessness but it was for a good cause. It was to protect the people around her. When Carth was around, she didn't know the danger. She felt like he would keep her safe no matter what odds they were faced with and she wanted to do the same.

To keep him safe.

She looked from Bastila to Carth who was still eyeing her angrily as he waited for her to respond...but that wasn't the only thing she saw. He was worried—for her health and well being. Always worrying. If he wasn't upset with her, he was worried for her. She wanted him to come along so badly but it wasn't good. She had always relied on herself and now she had unconsciously relied on others. Formed a connection, a bond with them all but most of all with Carth… the one person who hated her for existing—for not being trustworthy enough—and yet worried about her well being every single time. He was a conundrum, a puzzle that she wasn't so sure she could solve.

She couldn't take any chances. Not this time. She was a chance taker but this was one wager she didn't want to test. To lose this gamble... that would be something she didn't think she could bare. Maybe she was over thinking this but if a high ranking Jedi couldn't survive in those ruins... she didn't want to take any chances. She had to draw a line.

When you gamble, there's no sure way that you'll always come out the winner.

"Bastila's right." She said firmly but in a soft tone. Her response caught both Carth and Bastila by surprise. Carth's face shifting from anger to shock at her abruptness.

"What…?" He was speechless.

"It doesn't concern you for now so please let me take care of this. It's my duty as a Jedi, not yours. You've done enough, so please take care of yourself and allow me to do the same. Excuse me. I have a few things I must take care of first." With that, she brushed past Carth who was at such a loss for words that by time he realized that she was leaving, she was already gone.

Bastila remained where she was, her eyes following after Samirah and knowing full well that she didn't want to sound so cold to him. Through the bond, Bastila could feel the conflict inside of her but Samirah didn't know how to solve it. This was obviously something that was bothering Samirah and Bastila wanted to solve it. It_ needed_ to be solved. Conflict like this within a Jedi wasn't good. It could cloud her judgment and make her unreasonable… well, more so than usual.

The only clue Bastila had was Carth Onasi. She was fine until he arrived… and maybe that was all Bastila needed to know.

"Doesn't concern me…" Carth's voice pulled Bastila's attention away from her thoughts and to him. "We'll see about that." He spun around to take after her when Bastila caught his arm. She wasn't about to let him cause more conflict.

"Just… give her some time, Carth. She's trying not to put a strain on you so please take this time to rest. You'll be of more help to her if you remain calm and let us handle this. Build your strength." She stated firmly as she held on to his arm tightly. Carth narrowed his eyes.

"And what about her, Bastila. She needs to rebuild her own strength and—"Bastila cut him off, making her voice clear and steady.

"Leave that to me. For now, you should do as she asks. If you make her worry while we're gone and make her lose her concentration on the task at hand, the Sith will be the least of your worries, Carth." She spoke low enough for him to hear.

"Is that a threat, Bastila?" He asked just as quietly which only made her smirk.

"No, Carth. It's a promise." She released his arm and bowed her head slightly to him before moving back into the council chamber to find Master Dorak.

Carth watched her, slightly surprised at her response. Only slightly. He had half a mind to still go chase Samirah down and demand answers from her. She was keeping him out of the loop. She wasn't telling him everything and yet, telling him to relax. Did she know how hard it was to do that? To relax knowing she's out there doing only the Force knows what—it seemed like an impossible request. Not knowing was just as bad as knowing but that didn't mean he didn't _want_ to know what she was doing.

If he asked enough times, would she cave in and tell him? Yeah, she probably would out of guilt, but that wouldn't make him feel good about it. So he was expected to just sit and twiddle his thumbs for now?

Ok. He would do that for now, but he was going to start demanding answers when they returned.

He started for the _Ebon Hawk,_ completely put out and gloomy. He pitied any person who got in his way today because he wasn't in the mood for pleasantries or the blasted Jedi. He was very much irritated and figured it would be best if he removed himself from the prying eyes of passing Jedi and apprentices. They didn't mean to annoy him but at this moment in time, their curious eyes only made his feet go faster. He only hated that in order to reach the _Ebon Hawk_, he had to walk through the center of the enclave where just about every Jedi on Dantooine liked to congregate. When the ship was in his sights, he moved faster, in a hurry to escape their notice.

He boarded the small ship, his feet hitting the metal of the ship loudly to announce his presence. Funny thing was, no one was on the ship. Canderous wasn't seated by the swoop bike, gripping about being grounded for so long; there was no Wookiee lounging in the main hold, eating whatever edible substance he could find—No one. He had the ship to himself and he hated it. He hated not doing anything, not moving and not being in the action. Most of all, he hated being left out of the loop.

When he arrived at his cot, he paused in his motions when he saw a vibrant orange colored jacket sitting on his sheets. It was folded nice and neatly, waiting for him to pick it up. He tried to think back in his mind the time frame between the moment she left and the moment he got here. When had she done this? He couldn't have possibly have missed her could he? That wasn't nearly long enough for her to retrieve the jacket and put it here without being noticed.

Then again, she did make a career of not being seen. He remembered being told about her transfer to the _Endar Spire _and how it had taken them nearly two months to track her down. It was a very difficult process and he nearly gave up when they finally found her searching through some old Jedi Ruins in the Adega System. He smiled as he picked up his jacket, noticing the note that was neatly written and placed under his jacket. He picked it up, unfolding it to reveal and neatly written message.

_I'm sorry, but the least I can do is return this to you. Hope you can rest easy, fly boy…_

He stared at the note a few moments longer, rereading the short and simple note but unable to erase the small smile it gave him. She moved quickly. How in the name of the Force had she been able to write the note and place it with the jacket? She was something else. A riddle without an answer… no matter how hard you tried to solve her, you couldn't find an answer that would adequately explain what she was. He dawned on his signature jacket, slightly intrigued of this new smell that had embedded itself into the seams and each fiber of the jacket. Something crisp and fresh like apples but also sweet and fresh like new flowers blooming—a cherry blossom tree.

It was a faint scent but present. He smiled slightly as he sat on his cot, the note still in hand. She was something different entirely.

* * *

It wasn't her proudest moment.

She sat at a table by herself, drinking tea and picking at her food. Her hair was lying loosely on her shoulders, the waves turning into natural curls that she would tuck behind her ears. Samirah had managed to return the jacket to Carth without his knowledge but only barely. As she was leaving the ship, she had to quickly hide herself before she was caught in his apparent war path. He was practically oblivious to his surroundings so it didn't take much skill to hide from him. He didn't seem to happy with her for practically telling him off. She didn't like the idea any better but it was for his own good in the end. He was the one thing she wasn't about the risk on a game of chance.

She had found a quiet little booth in the far corners of the Cantina that was out of sight. Tactically speaking: she was in the shadows, had a clear view of all exits and of every patron within the contents of the Cantina. Not very many Jedi visited this place- or in reality they did, but they never stayed long to avoid giving the wrong impression. Settlers had come to enjoy a nice dinner with friends and family. The day wasn't quite over but it was coming to its end for these people. The sun would only stay in the sky for another hour or two.

She sat quietly, sipping at her Ansionian tea that the waitress had been kind enough to bring her. She had long lost her appetite so her food sat on the table, half eaten and picked at as it grew colder. The room wasn't extensively lit but was bright enough for her to see her surroundings. It wasn't as easy as it used to be to remain inconspicuous seeing as how she was now recognized as a Jedi. It was like having this flashing sign on her forehead indicating that she carried a lightsaber. Everyone seemed to cast cautious glances in her direction but the plus to that was that they all seemed to steer clear of her. She would have to learn how to get used to this new way of living. Samirah wasn't one to attract attention. That was usually anti-productive.

She sipped her tea, her eyes scanning the room, looking for a certain Twi'lek. Mission was usually always in the Cantina but Samirah couldn't find her. She wasn't even answering Samirah's calls on her comlink. What was she doing? It was shocking to find that Zaalbar wasn't even here eating. The absence of those two was slightly unnerving because they weren't on the ship either. So, where had they disappeared too? She had a little less than an hour before she was too meet Bastila and she had yet to find Mission. If she didn't find her then it would be just Bastila and herself because she wasn't asking Carth- she'd strike herself down before she did that. Not after the way she told him no.

She lowered her head as she occupied herself with her tea that had started to grow colder with each second that passed. She wasn't afraid of going alone but the extra help would always be appreciated. What was she going to do now? The fact that the Jedi named Nemo had yet to return still bothered her. She was going in blind and had no idea what she was in for. Did she really want Mission to walk into something that could very easily be a trap? Could Mission handle that?

Her eyes caught the shadow of a newcomer to the Cantina but they weren't so _new_ to her. She smiled as the Mandalorian entered the Cantina with a nonchalant attitude and a purposeful walk. Canderous had this smirk on his face and his chin lifted slightly in the air to give the impression of superiority, one that came easily to him. He was smirking but Samirah couldn't help but think that he may have looked slightly bored.

He casted his gaze around the cantina lazily, not particularly interested in any of the participants. He caught a waitress by the arm, scaring her momentarily until she saw his face before nodding and walking back to the bar. Apparently he had been here enough times to become a regular. He leaned against the bar, completely bored as he watched a nearby game of Pazaak with disinterest. Samirah just watched him quietly, her cup of warm tea held up to her lips but not sipping at it. She simply inhaled the sweet scent as she watched him with curiosity.

After a moment, Canderous' eyes lifted as he furrowed his brow and began to glance around the cantina again until he found the poorly lit corner Samirah was nestled in. A big grin appeared on his face as the waitress handed him his ale and he began to make his way over to her table. He had found something to keep him amused- he genuinely didn't look bored anymore. She smiled to herself as he slid into the seat across from her, throwing an arm over the back of his chair.

"Well if it isn't the kid. Aren't you and the Princess supposed to be out doing the Council's dirty work?" He joked. Normally this would cause Samirah to frown but this time... it was kind of true.

She was only a newly appointed Padawan and they had sent a Jedi by the name of Nemo to search those ruins. He was of higher rank than she was and he had yet to return. So what did they expect from her? Hell, she didn't even have the years of training that most Padawan's received. Her training had been rushed. They claimed that her progress was exceptional but still, you could not ignore the fact that it was rushed. Nemo was a Jedi Knight. A Jedi _Knight._ He had years of experience so what could she possibly offer them that he couldn't. The thought slightly worried her.

"We still are. We're meant to leave soon and I was meant to bring Mission along but she seems to have disappeared on me. Have you seen her?" Canderous took a swig of his ale before shaking his head.

"That little hustler? Haven't seen her since she scored a few hundred credits off some traveling merchants. That was a day or two ago." Samirah groaned but was still smiling.

"I told her not to start scamming the poor unsuspecting fools. You would think they would have realized something was off if a girl like Mission starts playing high stakes." Canderous chuckled.

"Gotta hand it to her, she knows how to play her cards right." Maybe it was for the best, Samirah thought.

Samirah nodded as she swirled around her now cold cup of tea. She didn't want to drink it anymore. She didn't like cold tea. It was silly, but she always preferred it to be hot. Just something about hot tea could soothe her and make the whole world better in her eyes. Cold tea was just empty to her... it was odd. She was never picky about anything except for how her tea was. She always preferred hot tea. Always.

She stared at the liquid as it swirled around in the cup, a deep frown settling in to her features. Now what was she going to do? Mission would have been nice to have along but perhaps it was a good thing she can't be. She could try to bring someone else but would Bastila approve of her choice? Her eyes moved up to Canderous who was busy watching the crowd in the Cantina while he took gulps of his ale. That man had an iron stomach. He also carried a lot of ammunition... and big guns. They didn't know what to expect in the ruins. Enemies? Traps? He would be useful...

Then again, he might blow up something that was even _more_ useful. He wasn't trigger happy but with the way he fought, he wouldn't care to bounce a grenade off some ancient Jedi history... if that's what awaited them. As long as the enemy was dead, he would be happy. She was running out of time and couldn't exactly be choosey. Bastila would just have to deal with it.

"Hey, Canderous..." She started, earning his attention. He pulled his gaze away from the crowd and raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Would it be fair to say that you don't have any plans for the day? Evening really..." She didn't meet his eyes as she swirled her cold cup of tea around but it was easy to tell he was smiling.

"Listen kid, I don't have time to go on dates. Not really interested in Jedi either, no offense. Maybe you and soldier boy should go on one instead." Her cheeks immediately flared as her head snapped up to meet his grin.

"W-w-what are you talking about!" She stuttered, completely taken off-guard. Her body went stiff at the idea as shock registered across her face. She hadn't meant a date at all! And what did it have to do with Carth? Canderous chuckled as he set his glass down on the table.

"Come on, Kid. We have a Princess waiting for us and it's never good to keep royalty waiting." He said with a hint of sarcasm. He stood up from his chair, tossing a few credits on the table and heading for the exit.

Samirah jumped up from her chair, nearly spilling the tea as she chased after him with a frantic look.

"Canderous! CANDEROUS! What are you talking about?" He laughed as he looked over his shoulder.

"That small fry was right, you really don't have a clue." Her cheeks turned redder at the indication of some secret regarding her.

"A clue about what! Canderous!" He kept walking this time. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was grinning to himself... again.

Maybe she had made a bad decision after all. Cursed Mandalorian's. This time, she was the one out of the loop. Something was going on. She crossed her arms and pouted as she followed him out of the Cantina and to the meeting spot outside of the enclave. She already knew Bastila would disapprove of her selection especially since he had taken a liking to calling her the "Princess". A nickname she was sure to greatly disapprove of.

They weaved through the hallways of the enclave, Samirah quietly following Canderous as she stared intently at the back of his head in hopes of finding the secret there. Obviously futile. Maybe, just maybe the force could just... _pluck..._ the secret from his head. Just pluck it like you would the string of an instrument or the feather from a bird. It wouldn't be bad, would it? Just a small little pluck and all would be clear.

She couldn't do that.

That would be misuse of the Force and Bastila would find out about it somehow. It was like she could feel the misuse of the Force... a disturbance, if you will. The bond would somehow inform her and that was a road that Samirah felt was quite frankly, better left untraveled. She wasn't even sure the force would allow her to do such a thing... could it? It was a tempting notion. Very tempting. She could very easily find out, right? All one needed to do was try.

As she debated internally, Canderous had been smirking to himself the entire time. Mission may have dropped a few details in passing while he watched her swindle a few credits off the merchants. That kid was so excited to tell someone what she had figured out. He wasn't one for juicy gossip but this was something he could definitely use when he was bored. Best part was that neither one of them had noticed anything. They were still as clueless as the Jedi during the Mandalorian war. Still, the idea was amusing... Soldier boy and the kid...

He passed through the double doors that led out of the enclave and into the outer courtyard. It was bright outside and fairly warm but it was bearable. He could see the Jedi Princess already, seated on a bench and in what looked like a meditation stance. He lifted an eyebrow as they neared her, Samirah immediately moving past him to walk in front. She needed to break the news to Bastila and protect him from any projectiles like say a rock, a twig... a bench. Better safe than sorry. She didn't want Bastila breaking their back-up.

She slowed down as she approached Bastila who had already sensed their presence. Her eyes fluttered open before meeting Samirah's with a small smile. A smile that quickly faded when she got a glimpse of Canderous behind her.

"I thought we agreed to bring Mission... this is not Mission." Her voice rang with disapproval as her eyes remained transfixed on Canderous. He grinned right back at her.

"Calm down, Princess. I'm not here to interfere with you and your work. Think of me as... a traveling mercenary, tagging along for artillery support." Bastila rolled her eyes, clearly unhappy with the unforeseen events.

"You _are_ a traveling mercenary and if I remember correctly, all you _do_ is offer your gun." He grinned proudly.

"So you won't have trouble imagining it will you." He said before turning and walking away from the enclave. Bastila shot Samirah a disapproving glare as she followed behind him.

It wasn't Samirah's fault. Bastila would have probably preferred if no one joined them rather than having the Mandalorian but Samirah couldn't bring herself to ask Carth. She didn't want to get him mixed into all of this and she didn't want to have to worry about him. Mission was missing in action and it was probably for the best. She had very little choices and she got the feeling that some extra help couldn't hurt.

The thought of Carth bothered her. She was messing everything up. She told him off and then walked away. She was pretty positive that it would come back and bite her back later on... More than likely in the form of a Carth who found another reason not to trust her. She'd rather have him angry to be quite frank. What was she going to do now?

She quietly followed them, no one daring to say a word. If they wanted to stay quiet, that suited Samirah. She didn't want to try and play the negotiator between Canderous and Bastila. She should have just left it alone and gone with Bastila by herself. She peeked a look at them, trying to sneak cautious glances at each companion without their notice. Canderous seemed fine actually... it was Bastila she would have to worry about. From the bond, she could feel discontent boiling up inside of Bastila. All it would take to set her off was a few snarky comments from Canderous and Samirah really didn't need that. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

She ran her fingers through her hair before tying it up into a ponytail. What was she thinking, bringing Canderous along? She just wanted to get this over with—she wanted to investigate and leave because she didn't like this feeling she was getting.

The moment she stepped away from the enclave, this feeling slammed into her like a wall of… _darkness._ When she had gone to find Juhani, she hadn't felt it but now it was like this miasma that was snaking out, trying to wrap itself around her. It was caressing her but not in a way that was comforting. It was… tainted. It was corrupted. It was everything defined by the dark side.

_The darkness… what are you thinking…?_

_No! Are you crazy? The council does not approve…_

_It's too late…_

The voices echoed throughout the far reaches of her mind as they sent shivers down her spine. Moments like these really made her wish Carth was here. Were these visions and voices all a part of her new connection to the Force? Was it because of her new found proximity to Bastila?

… and why did she only feel safe around Carth?

Why had she felt so safe and warm with him around? Why?

As much as she hated to admit it… she wanted to run back and beg him for his forgiveness. She wanted him by her side. He made the void feel like it was nothing. He made her world feel so much better. She didn't have to touch him but by just being near her… he provided her with so much safe and security, it was hard to go without him.

She never knew safety or security… not until he dragged her away from a crashed escape pod. Not until he protected her from the Sith as she healed from her injuries.

Her cheeks started to turn red as she remembered their time spent together. He was there for her. Even if he didn't trust her… he was there. He never abandoned her. He protected her. He worried over her.

He always kept her safe.

She smiled sadly, realizing that she wanted him beside her. She wanted Carth right there beside her… telling her how reckless she was more than likely about to be.

Carth Onasi. Her little piece of safety.

* * *

**Again, I thank you guys who have waited so ever patiently. Especially omolina100 and Crystal Vice who messaged me to make sure I hadn't given up on the story. :) I really do appreciate it guys. I promised not to give up and I will keep that promise. Just have to avoid technical difficulties because that was just the worst. **

**The support I recieve from you, my readers, is simply phenomenal! These chapters are for you guys so thank you ever so much. I am forever in your debt.**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	22. Chapter 21: The Seeds of Darkness

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR, Star Wars or even George Lucas. I don't even own the planet that NASA discovered recently and named Tatooine (I'm not making that one up! Google it! They discovered a planet that orbits two suns and named it Tatooine! NASA is full of Star Wars nerds! Its Epic!)**

**I'M BACK! So how many of you guys are about ready to kill me for disappearing on you guys again? Yeah. I know. Its probably the majority isn't it? I would give you guys the full story but i bet the majority of you here just want to read what i've written lol so i'll skip the sob story and save it so that you guys can read what you've waited months to read! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

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**Discovering the Seeds of Darkness**

"_To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness."_

The air around her had thickened. It had become this invisible miasma that wrapped around her head and tried to cloud her thoughts as well as her sight. It was sickly sweet. Samirah knew that was the sign that they were close to the ruins—it had to be. The area was tainted with this dark cloud of evil power, a velvet smooth blanket that wrapped around every tree and spread across each blade of grass. She shivered from the feel of it against her skin and how it snaked around in her mind, more potent than it had at the grove. The grove had been nothing. There was no comparison. She could hear whispers so close to her ear that it felt as if someone was breathing on her neck, making empty, sweet promises.

_That's only in your head…_

_ … It wasn't always like this… it couldn't be…_

_ Its stronger… it's… intoxicating even…_

_ Wait, are you sure about this? Let's think carefully… please…_

_ It's too late…_

The voices sounded so familiar and yet… so distant. So far away from her that they seemed impossible to reach and yet… they persisted to bother her. Why? Was she going crazy? Madder with each resilient push she had against the dark side? Was that how they pulled you to their side? Made you think you were losing every shred of sanity you had left? She had never experienced so much until she had been so closely involved with the forces of light and darkness so what other explanation could there be?

It was easier to be a simple Scout.

Canderous noticed her change in posture and mood. She seemed uneasy and it almost looked like she was struggling to keep her feet moving. It was all subtle of course but for someone like Canderous who paid attention to detail… it was obvious. She absently rubbed her arm as goose bumps began to make their presence known on her arm. She shivered as beads of sweat formed on her brow as her concentration deepened. Canderous kept a careful eye on her and made a mental note to keep doing so just to be sure.

Bastila felt along the sides of the rock that enclosed the area. She didn't even have to look to know that as she rounded the corner she would come face to face with the dark ruins that began Revan and Malak down the path to the dark side. It was like a wall of power overwhelmed her senses the moment their eyes met the ruins.

The stone structure was dark in looks alone. Pillars lined the entrance creating a sort of corridor that led you to the front steps. It almost felt like it was beckoning them to approach it. To anyone else, it would appear as ordinary ruins, unguarded and unused after years of being forgotten in the far corners of Dantooine. To a Jedi, it was almost shocking that it was never disturbed until now. Almost more shockingly, how had no one come across it until now? Had their senses become so dull to its presence over the years that it seemed nonexistent? A simple echo in the back of their minds? How did Revan and Malak come to find it then?

It didn't make sense. It never did.

Bastila realized that she had stopped walking to gawk at the ancient structure and made herself slowly approach it, ignoring the hum of power against her skin. Samirah and Canderous followed behind cautiously, preparing for anything. Samirah's hands rested lightly on the hilt of her lightsaber, twitching every few seconds so that she could snatch it quickly if the time called for it.

"This is it. These are the ruins the council sent Nemo to investigate… "She stood in front of the double doors that led to the interior of the ruins.

The raw power radiating off the walls like a pulse—a heartbeat of the structure—leaving a feeling that was, to say the least, unsettling. It made Bastila uncomfortable. Death. Not just recent, but years—centuries—of death centered around these ruins but she could not recall any history of disappearances. If there was any, they were never reported but the magnitude of it all… it was potent. Death always lingered. It would attach itself to its surroundings like a memory, burnt into each fiber. She slid her hand over the stone doors looking for a handle, a button—something that would trigger the mechanism. She poked and prodded around every possible nook and cranny only to end up empty handed. How did Nemo open these doors?

"You're doing it wrong…"

When Bastila turned around, she half expected someone else to be standing before her but found only Samirah and Canderous. Samirah looked tired and a bit pale. Through the bond, Bastila felt how hard it was for Samirah to be here. Something was making this a hard experience for her. Something plagued her and it was evident to both Bastila and Canderous.

The voice she had spoken in sounded nothing like the happy, sweet and courageous Samirah they knew. She stepped forward hesitantly, wincing at the small ache in the far reaches of her mind. It was like a small pounding, as if someone was beating against a wall, trying to escape. She stepped up to the structure, biting her lower lip as she waved her hand over the door slowly, releasing a small amount of the force into the stone doors. After a few seconds the doors screeched to life as the sound of stone grating stone rumbled. The two doors separated, screaming in protest to the unwanted visitors of its inner sanctum.

Canderous smirked as he nodded in approval. She may look ill and a bit on the uneasy side but she still managed to produce results. That's what he liked about her. Always able to get the job done no matter her present state.

"Well done, Kid. I'm impressed." He sauntered up to her side, ruffling her hair. She winced but gave him a small, tired smile. Bastila eyed her very carefully, but aimed to keep her tone light.

"How did you know what to do?" Samirah pursed her lips as she tried to think.

How _did_ she do it? Even she didn't know. It just… kind of happened.

"I don't know how, but I could tell that you were doing it… wrong. My body just responded as if it knew what to do… I think, in the vision, Revan did something like that but I'm not exactly sure… Do you think… that the force guided me?" That was the only possible explanation. It had to be. She rubbed her temples as she tried to will the aching away. It was pestering her insistently and she wished it would just leave her be.

Bastila thought carefully about her words—she had to choose them carefully.

"The force guides us all in mysterious ways. It… is possible that it wanted you to be the one to gain us access to these ruins. As I said before, the force is working through you so I expect it has some sort of plan." She spoke in a soft tone, her eyes focused intently on the dark interior of the structure. "I suggest that we tread lightly as we enter. We do not know what we will be facing so mind yourselves."

Her eyes turned back to the doors before she moved slowly, cautiously, through the entrance. A shiver trickled down Samirah's back. Fear. Was she afraid to enter? Why? This place should hold no meaning to her and yet, here she was, frozen in place and unable to enter this forsaken place. The stale air brushed by her nose briefly. Not as stale as it should have been, it was only a lingering smell which meant it had to have been opened recently... and not simply by Nemo.

"Come on, Kid. We can't keep the Princess waiting much longer." She felt the large hand of Canderous fall on her shoulder as she turned her head to look at his smirking face. Always so confident. "You know how _patient_ she is." He gave her a gentle but forceful push towards the door as the raw power slammed into her stomach.

She held back her desire to run and took a deep breath. She had to do this. She _needed _ to do this. It was a direct order from the council. In an essence, it was a way to prove herself. She clenched her fists tightly as she took hesitant steps through the stone doors, perfectly aware that the Mandalorian followed behind her. He was eager to explore. Eager to fight. The faster she got this over with, the faster she could get far away. The Faster she could leave. The faster it would be over. The whispers of the dark energy were unsettling. It came as close to her as it dared, sliding along her skin, touching the recesses of her mind, caressing her in this false sense of welcome. She knew it wasn't real. It wasn't safe. It wasn't ok and that's what scared her the most… how inviting it was and how much she wanted to believe it.

It needed to go. She wanted it to leave.

_No more! _

She screamed in her head, willing that whatever power the council believed her to have would push away the seductive laugh and prodding touches. She felt the dark side retract its claws like a bird pulling away from its prey but just the same, she knew its eyes would watch her. Always watch her in this place.

_Guard yourself, for it will take whatever advantage of you that it can get. Darkness will not play fair so long as you give it a reason not to. Guard yourself. Mentally and physically. Every fiber of your being is a door for darkness._

The voice didn't exactly sound like Bastila, but then again, it felt like it came partly from her. Not her voice but her thoughts. Like a secret that wasn't meant to be shared.

"Looks like she got impatient..." Canderous mumbled as they inched closer inside.

It took her a moment to realize that she was in the middle of a narrow corridor. Walls that were about two feet tall were lined down the sides of the wall, blocking any passage to outer regions of the area. The ruins were bigger than she thought. The stone was perfectly intact and covered in intricate designs, symbols possibly from a language that was unknown to her or perhaps meant nothing at all. Beyond the short walls were empty rooms with nothing but stone floors and stone walls. They were barren and vacant of anything- chairs, desks, beds, swords- it was like they had never been used. Never even had a purpose.

Bastila stood at the end of the hallway, her eyes transfixed on a closed door—Identical to the one that allowed them inside. The stone was worn and all carvings that were imbedded into the stone had worn away with time leaving only inklings of what they once used to say. Bastila gave Samirah a meaningful look before deciding to attempt what Samirah had. She let the force flow into her fingertips as she waved her hand carefully over the stone, letting the power brush into the granite structure. It moaned in protest as the marble grated against each other, pulling apart to reveal another room but one with a surprise.

A spider like droid lay beyond the doors, possibly hibernating. Unlike the rest of the ruins, it wasn't covered in dust or looked like a statue—it was real. It was covered in dents, scrapes and a few broken pieces but it looked like it had recently been activated. It looked all wrong for a droid that had been lost here for centuries. It shouldn't have been active, should it? Why was it even here? It wasn't until the doors came to a stop that a light illuminated from its head. The droid activated before slowly standing up and stared in their direction, unmoving.

"What the-" Canderous was interrupted as the droid began to make noises. It sounded like a language but not one that Samirah knew. She scrunched her eyebrows together, trying to place it but could find no recollection of ever knowing or even hearing it. Was it communicating?

"Forgive me, but I don't understand." The droid stopped before switching to a new language, one that consisted of screeching sounds and screams that made Samirah wince. This one was more familiar but not by much. "I'm sorry, I still don't understand you." She grimaced.

"I believe that it is cycling through a variety of languages in an attempt to find one we can understand. It keeps using a different alien dialect when it speaks. It can more than likely understand us, but it must be difficult. It probably wasn't programmed with the phonemes of a language we can understand." She assessed the droid, her eyes narrowing in fascination.

Samirah could hear as Canderous hoisted his gun again, a reminder that he was prepared to kill the machine if it even moved. He was itching for a battle. The Droid cycled again, searching for a language and Samirah worried that it was a hopeless cause. How long had it been here, how long ago was it built? It was speaking in languages that Samirah had never heard before. As a scout, she's heard just about every language in existence and at the very least, known about the ones she hadn't. This droid spoke none.

She grimaced again. Perhaps there wasn't nothing that could be done. The droid cycled once more and this time, when it spoke... she understood.

"I can reproduce any of the languages spoken by the builders." The sound was like a hum, a slithery, groggy hum with slurs and rumbles of the throat... if it had a throat.

"I understood you... that was a Selkath dialect, right?" Bastila nodded, her eyes still transfixed on the motionless droid.

"Close. It's an archaic variant. Curious that a droid would be programmed to speak ancient Selkath..." She trailed off, hoping the droid would pick up on her unspoken question. It didn't disappoint. It spoke again with the slurs and hums of the language.

"Communication was vital to ensure that the slaves constructed this temple according to the wishes of the builders. But you are not of the slave species. Neither are you of the builders. You are like... the one who came before." Its pause was curious to Samirah. Bastila immediately picked up on the droids words, clarifying what it more than likely meant.

"It must be referring to Revan. The Dark Lord and Malak likely encountered this droid when they explored these ruins." She spoke, her eyes drifting from the droid to the structure around them. Samirah followed her gaze, feeling the eerie sensation ripple through her veins.

Revan had been here.

This was where Revan's fall to the dark side began. This was the beginning. What would it take for them to follow in Revan's footsteps? Would they find themselves falling into the temptation, falling to the dark side? The idea sent chills down her spine. Samirah didn't want that to happen. She looked at Bastila through the corner of her eye to see that she must have had the same train of thought. She was biting her lower lip, deep in thought. Canderous, on the other hand was too busy getting his aim just right. He wasn't taking any chances. He didn't believe in any of this "Jedi superstition", as he called it.

She turned her attention back to the droid whose still posture and eerie silence made her nervous. In a place like this, it didn't soothe her already rising anxiety.

"Are you some sort of guardian here?" She questioned.

"I am the Overseer." It corrected in its strange version of the ancient Selkath dialect. "The builders programmed me to enforce discipline among the slaves while this monument to the power of the Star Forge was constructed. At project completion, all slaves were executed. I was reprogrammed to serve should a builder return in search of knowledge of the Star Forge." Samirah turned to Bastila with a confused expression.

Bastila shook her head, already sensing the question on Samirah's mind.

"There are no recordings of the construction of these ruins to my knowledge. It has been here so long that we hardly even knew of its existence."

"How long have you been stuck here then?" Samirah redirected her attention to the droid. "You couldn't have possibly just appeared here or even been placed. It must have been..." She trailed off to think as the droid spoke up.

"My chronological circuits have marked over ten full revolutions of this system's outermost planet around the sun since the builders left." Samirah blinked, counting in her head. It said ten revolutions so that means...

"Ten revolutions would take more than twenty thousand years." Bastila spoke up, surprise filling each word as she spoke them. "If this is true then this droid is nearly five thousand years older than the Republic itself! There must be some mistake." She offered.

"There is no mistake." The droid answered in its mono tone that would have otherwise been offended. "The builders constructed my chronological circuitry using the technology of the Star Forge itself. My calculations are infallible."

This droid was older than the Republic. And it's only counting from when the builders left so it's much older than just twenty thousand years. How long did it take before this structure was completed? Did it witness it all? How much older is this droid? How closely linked to everything was it? It had to play a substantial part if it was told to remain here in the event a builder returned. Samirah fixed her eyes on the droid, ready to get her answers and ready to leave.

"Tell me everything you know."

This was vital and she wasn't going to screw it up. She would succeed where Revan failed. Finding the answers without falling into temptation. Without falling to the Dark Side. She would surpass Revan and fix everything like it should be fixed. This was her only chance and she wasn't going to ruin it like Revan did. She was going to be better. The council wanted her to be a Jedi, well she was going to show them that she was worthy of it.

This was the start.

* * *

Carth rolled over, groaning as he started to wake up. He was restless. His entire night was restless. Despite the fact that his jacket somewhat kept him comforted by the sweet aroma that filled his senses. Crisp, fresh apples with the sweet and warm scent of blooming flowers. A scent so unfamiliar to him but now becoming the air he breathed as he slept. He was wearing his jacket as his slept, the lingering scent of Samirah imbedded into each fiber. It helped eased his mind and at the same time, worried him.

It reminded him that she wasn't safe.

She wasn't out of harm's way. If he hadn't gone with them they would probably take Mission with them. Knowing Mission, the moment she sensed adventure brewing off in the distance then she was already prepping for it. Zaalbar wouldn't go without Mission but if they both went then that was too big of a group, Bastila tried to avoid T3 and then you had the Mandalorian and well... Carth knew they wouldn't pick him. Mission was the only one left. That meant that right now, she was with Bastila and Mission and he had to rely on them to keep her safe. If they suddenly weren't looking, she'd find some hole in the floor and fall right through it. Worse yet, she could fall off a ledge and find herself impaled against sharp stones or sucked into the random manifestation of a worm hole... the thoughts swirled around his head making him feel uneasy. He pressed his face into the rough pillow, suppressing a moan of frustration.

Why didn't she want him to tag along? Why did she tell him no? Did he do something? All the questions circled his head until he couldn't stand it anymore. He threw the covers off and swung his legs off the cot until he was sitting and could rest his elbow's on his knees. He was being overly protective and letting it get to him. She was a grown girl. She could make her own decisions, she could protect herself, she could do what she wanted and he had no say in the matter. She was her own person and would do what she thought best.

And the thought still terrified him. There was a difference between what was best and what _she_ thought was best.

He groaned again as he covered his face with both hands. It was like watching over a child.

"Are you just going to sleep all day or what? There's work to be done, ya know." The voice surprised him as his head shot up to meet Mission's smirking face.

"Mission! What are you doing here?" He asked her, startled at her sudden presence. She was peeking around the side of his door before stepping out and leaning against the wall. She seemed fine to him and unscathed which in his mind, was a plus.

"What do you mean _what are you doing here?_" She asked, mocking his voice in a way that made him smile despite his inner worry. "Unless you guys forgot to hand me my eviction notice, this is still my home too." She stuck her tongue out at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I didn't mean anything by it Mission, you just surprised me. I thought it would have taken you guys much longer to do whatever the hell it is the Council wanted you to do." He was shaking his head at the audacity of the council. A little adventuring of their own would do them good. When he looked back up at Mission, she was looking at him with a puzzled look. "What?"

"What are you talking about?" She raised an eyebrow at him, scrunching up her nose as she watched him. Carth's body went rigid as he struggled to remain calm.

"You went with Samirah and Bastila to do whatever task the Council assigned you." He stated matter-of-factly. When she slowly shook her head, raising her eyebrows as she did, Carth couldn't help but clench his teeth. "You left earlier today and just got back now, right?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been here the whole time. They went on a adventure without me?" She was fighting a smile now. She knew that look. Only one person ever made his face contort like it was now. His jaw was clearly clenched and his muscles were tensed in an attempt to keep himself calm. Mission was pretty sure he wasn't aware of the fact that his hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

"Mission. This isn't the time for games." He tried one last time. Surely Mission was mistaken.

"Carth, I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been-"

"What!" He shouted as he jumped up to his feet, his face no longer calm but red with anger. He began pacing back and forth quickly, not making any eye contact with Mission as he began his rant. "I mean why wouldn't she want me to go along in the first place? Did I really do something so wrong? I've only wanted what was best for her and now, all of a sudden, she's... she's punishing me! For what? What the hell is-"

"Ok, Carth. Cool it, would ya? Sheesh, you're-" He flicked his angry gaze at her, hardly pausing in his own movements around the quarters.

"Oh don't you defend her Mission! She-" He froze. Why hadn't the thought occurred to him before now?

"Carth?" Mission asked cautiously but he was too frozen, too stiff, to answer her.

If Mission hadn't gone with them... Surely they wouldn't have gone alone. Samirah and Bastila were formidable opponents but... Bastila was proud. She probably thought she had enough power to go it alone with Samirah but would Samirah allow it? Wouldn't she say no? The two of them wouldn't possibly have gone but then... who would go with them? Mission was here and so she wasn't a possible candidate like he had thought but Zaalbar wouldn't be able to go without Mission even knowing. That left T3 and...

"Where's Canderous?" His tone was low and even. He hadn't seen the Mandalorian when he first arrived at the Ebon Hawk. Canderous was always here. He rarely ever left. He wanted nothing to do with the Jedi. He wanted nothing to do with the entire enclave. The time they had already spent here was nothing more but a giant migraine to him so for him to leave...

"Mission, where is Canderous?" He asked her again when he realized she had yet to respond. She shrugged.

"I don't know, what do I look like? His babysitter?" With that, she pursed her lips and turned on her heels. The clicking of her boots was the only sound audible to Carth's ears as she calmly walked away, leaving him to fume on his own. He ignored her smart-aleck response as he realized what it all meant.

"She wouldn't dare..."

* * *

"Hrsiki? Jsoofs oiuwn so h itasoo'khf?"

"AH!" Samirah cried out in frustration as she kicked the second computer with her foot.

The only response she got was the aching screams of her foot after impact. It was a stupid thing to do but these trials were frustrating. Battle droids waiting behind each door, ready to pounce out at the unsuspecting victims and annihilate them before they could even step inside the room. Poor Nemo didn't even stand a chance seeing as how he never stepped inside either room before being killed. The first computer didn't work either but she somehow managed to get it to understand her. Of course it required her Data Pad first and then wouldn't let her have it back until she got it to translate to a language she knew and after yelling and poking and prodding, she finally got it to work. In response, she was asked for life giving planets which was a simple enough question to ask really.

Now she was in the second room and the second computer was giving her a bit more trouble than she would like. She knew kicking the stupid thing wouldn't do anything but it made her feel better... until her foot started throbbing.

"Kid, I don't think kicking it is going to do much for us." Canderous mused. He swung his gun over his shoulder as right side of his face twitched up into half a smirk.

"Well if it would just do as I- Oh!" The symbols on the screen finally translated into letters and her Datapad shot out into her hands. It beeped and sputtered as it processed her language into what she needed.

"Here we go... _Identify the three primary death-giving seed world types." _She quickly scanned through the choices before selecting the three obvious choices: Desert, Volcanic and Barren. The machine sputtered and hummed before dying down and turning off completely. A clicking sound confirmed to her that the final test was completed and she was free to enter the final room.

"It seems you did it kid..." Canderous spoke with a grin as he patted her on the shoulder.

"It seems so... the droid said that once we completed the two trials... the door would be unsealed..." She was almost there. The dark energy was becoming easier to deal with but she still struggled with it. The closer they got the more strength it took to ward off the darkness and the pain that throbbed in her head. It was this pain that kept pushing and pushing at every corner of her mind, exhausting her.

"Come on... it's time to see what Revan was after." Bastila's voice chimed in for the first time, startling Samirah. She had been oddly quiet the further they progressed into the ruins. Samirah figured she too was struggling to protect herself.

Samirah nodded as she followed Canderous and Bastila out of the second room and towards the final one. The droid that had greeted them at the beginning remained motionless and inactive. It apparently had not deemed them a threat or had merely already carried out its purpose. Samirah put her attention back to the final door. Her heart sped up and she suddenly felt... scared. Why?

Her chest clenched as she waited for Bastila to open the doors. For a moment, Bastila hesitated. Her eyes turned to Samirah, waiting for her consent to proceed. Apparently she wanted to make sure Samirah was ready for whatever awaited them on the other side. They were going in blind. All Samirah felt was the energy that hummed around the cracks and corners of the door. She nodded slowly as Bastila turned to face the door, slowly waving her hand over it as she commanded the force to unlock it. The doors quivered under her command before finally pulling apart with a loud grating sound to reveal the room they had worked to uncover.

The room that began Revan down the path of darkness.

It was empty.

At the end of the room was another door. With a frown, Samirah pushed forward and walked quick down the length of the room to the final door. Bastila followed behind with Canderous covering the back, curious about this apparently protected secret that the council didn't even know. Samirah didn't even hesitate before quickly waving her hand over the door and waited for the mechanisms in the door to work. She didn't want to wait too long and become too afraid to proceed. Her anxiety had built itself up as she waited for it to reveal to her the secret she had been waiting for.

The moment the doors opened up, her head nearly split in pain. She cringed away, stumbling back a few steps as her stomach flipped from the impact of the energy. For a moment, the air was completely knocked out of her. Bastila was immediately at her side, keeping her steady as she watched her with concern.

"Are you alright?" She asked quickly as Samirah nodded her head quickly, trying to choke out a response.

"Fine..." She didn't want to waste time. She wanted out of there. She looked up and peered into the room to see an item nestled into the back of the room. Ignoring the pain and the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, she stepped forward with Bastila and Canderous hovering nearby to get a better look.

It was a cone shaped metal machine of some sort. It was like a claw that was locked at the tip and hollow on the inside. It was practically a mechanical pyramid from the looks of it. Lumps of stone and rock were clumped around the machine from where the structure had failed over time but it had never crushed the machine somehow. Samirah walked forward, drawn in by its aura and tingle in her fingers. Bastila was too busy staring at it with curiosity to notice that Samirah had broken away from her to get closer.

She stepped forward and when she was close enough to nearly make out the symbols etched into the metal pieces, the machine hummed to life. It popped, separating a small bit at the top before slowly opening like a flower does at the dawn of each day. It unfolded slowly as three triangular crystals lit up and were connected with a string of energy, pushing a spherical object up into the air. A small pulse of air pushed away small bits of debris and dust in a whirlwind as it powered to life, projecting an image.

"This… this must be what Revan and Malak found when they entered this temple. This must be where their journey down the dark side began." Bastila's voice was slowly getting closer as they peered closer.

"A map…" Samirah murmured, her head aching a bit more the closer she got.

"An intergalactic navigational chart of some sort… Revan and Malak must have used this to lead them to the Star Forge." Bastila stood beside her now, her eyes wide as she gawked at the machine that had been hidden on Dantooine for so long.

"This was it?" Canderous scoffed before turning to watch the door, his interest lost.

Samirah was entranced. A map? That was all it took to bring Revan down the dark side? Bastila continued to talk but Samirah only heard clipping of what she said. The map showed Korriban, Tatooine, Manaan and Kashyyyk but didn't show the Star Forge—whatever that was. She was so close but suddenly felt like she had been thrusted seven steps back while Malak was gaining five. This wasn't going to be an easy journey at all.

She was so focused on the machine that Bastila was nearly tuned out as she spoke. The map seemed to be..._ humming_. As if it was speaking to her in hushed tones, words that she couldn't make out but desperately wanted to hear. Maps? Darkness? What was it saying? What did it want? Unable to resist, Samirah extended her hand towards the mechanism, Bastila so engrossed with the map that she didn't notice as Samirah's fingers lightly brushed the map.

A spark shot through her arm.

Her eyes widened as everything went white.

"_Revan…"It was Malak's voice. " Revan, do you know what you're doing?" There was no response. Malak sighed in frustration and the sound of someone pacing could be heard._

"_Your silence is not welcomed, Revan. You do realize what it means to seek out the Star Forge, do you not? The council will not forgive us. We are deliberately disobeying them."_

_Someone responds but the words are muddled and incoherent. It was like trying to listen to someone speak with water in your ears._

"_Is that what you truly believe? Is this worth it? I have my doubts. The dark side is nothing to underestimate. It's not something you can tempt or play games with." Revan speaks again and again, nothing is understood. "I am not afraid!" Malak shouted before clearing his throat to calm himself._

"_I am not afraid… for myself… only you and what is to come. We are heading down a dangerous path… one I'm afraid neither one of us will escape unscathed…"_

"Samirah… Samirah…" Bastila's voice stirred Samirah as she groaned. The sick feeling was gone and the migraine had dwindled into a dull ache in the back of her mind. She tried to swallow as she struggled to open her eyes which seemed to have the intent of staying closed. With much effort though, she was able to open them into little slits.

Bastila was hovered over her with a look of worry. Samirah felt someone's arms holding her in a cradle and when she turned her head, she found herself staring at Canderous. They were outside the temple and Canderous had knelt down in the grass, leaning her against his chest as he propped one leg up to help support her. Her body was limp and for some reason… it felt so weak to her.

"Samirah, are you alright?" Bastila asked as Samirah turned her head to look at her.

"I… think so…" Her voice was barely over a whisper and Bastila had to strain to hear her.

"I don't think you should be talking, Kid." Canderous said dryly as he started to stand up and was careful not to shake her too much. Bastila was nodding.

"I agree. It seems the artifact managed to drain a bit of your strength when you touched it. Best you take it easy and rest. You've had a tough couple of days but as soon as we return, it would do you good to get some rest." After pondering a few moments longer, she looked at Canderous. "Do you think it's possible for you to sneak past Carth when we enter the Enclave? I'd venture to say that he will have a few words for us if he even has the slightest notion that she's injured or in a worse state then when we left."

The idea hadn't even occurred to Samirah yet. Carth was going to kill her. She had forgotten the terms in which they had parted on… which weren't the best. She shuttered at the thought of his glowering eyes fixed on her, his face turning a menacing shade of red and the silence before he began his angry outburst on her reckless actions. She was suddenly not too excited about finding Carth when they returned to the enclave…

Bastila and Canderous began walking, Samirah nestled snuggly in the Mandalorians arms as she pondered on the vision and the possible _welcome_ she'd receive from Carth. In the vision she saw Malak and… almost Revan. For some reason, Revan had been obscured in the vision but the intentions had been made clear. They were discussing the Star Forge. The strange bit was that Malak seemed like he was hesitant to follow the trail. He was almost trying to dissuade Revan but in the end, Revan seems to have won.

They were once Jedi Knights of the light so of course they would have weighed their options first but what convinced them to switch? Was it the Star Forge? Or was it the path to finding the Star Forge? Would she and the rest of the crew fall prey to the same evil that Revan had? The unanswered questions bothered her. She didn't know what they were walking into, what to expect and most certainly what to guard herself against. She hadn't been raised as a Jedi. She was a scout. She couldn't do this. She couldn't protect them from the taint they would encounter. The artifact itself was hard enough for her to resist and she couldn't protect everyone else if she could barely protect herself. What was she to do?

She leaned her head against Canderous' chest, closing her eyes as the sun hit the edge of her face. Canderous barely even registered the slight movement she made as he kept a calculating eye out for any surprise attacks. He never let his guard down, years of personal experience had taught him that and he was going to need a heads up since the kid was in his arms. Samirah hadn't realized it yet, but the further they traveled from the ruins, the calmer she felt. The tendrils of darkness had receded back into the ruins as she was moved further and further away from their reach. She was safe again.

She didn't have to struggle against the lull of the dark side, she didn't have to cringe away from the voices that fluttered around her like little bugs—she was free from it all. She was slightly weary, the past few days had been fast paced and very eventful which made her think the next few days wouldn't get any better. Why couldn't she ever catch a break? Why couldn't things be simple for once? She wanted to sleep and do things the way she used to.

"Samirah!" Her whole body stiffened as her eyes flew open. She knew that voice. She turned her head to see if she had imagined it, hoping that she had. She hadn't.

Carth was marching towards her with a face that was as hard as stone. The Enclave was behind him and from the looks of it… he had been waiting for them to return. Her tongue was caught in her throat, unable to utter out the terrified response she had. Canderous' arms tightened around her in reassurance as he felt her body grow stiff with fear while Carth closed the little distance between them in quick strides. Samirah felt the color drain from her face as seconds later, Carth was upon them.

"Samirah, what happened?" Before she could answer him, he let loose the thoughts he had on his mind with a fury that made her cringe into Canderous. "What the hell were you thinking? Not taking me along was something I could live with but bringing _him _instead_?"_ He shouted, pointing to Canderous but his eyes focused on her. "Why not Mission or- or Zaalbar? Hell, take the droid!"

"Carth, this is hardly—"Bastila started before Carth shot her a glare.

"Don't start, Bastila." He warned.

"Hey, soldier boy, why don't you save it for a better time?" Canderous spoke in a clear, condescending tone as he spoke to Carth. He stared down at the pilot with a small smirk on his lips.

"I wasn't asking you."

"And I wasn't giving you a choice." They locked eyes for several seconds, neither one moving, neither one backing down. The tension between them was strong and Samirah fidgeted. It felt like time had temporarily stopped while they had this silent battle with one another. She didn't like it.

"No more… stop it you too…" Her voice cracked but was easier to hear than earlier as she struggled to be free of Canderous' arms. He obliged by releasing her legs and setting her up right, his eyes—still so smug—remained on Carth.

"Samirah—"He started angrily before she wobbled a bit, almost losing her balance on her unsteady legs. He instinctively shot his hand out and caught her elbow, his eyes breaking from Canderous as he steadied her. "Hey, what happened?" His irritated tone immediately shifting to one of concern as he examined her carefully. She slowly shook her head.

"I can't say yet… not until I talk to the Council first." She tried to look at him reassuringly, her voice sounding weaker than she felt but she worked on making it sound stronger. "Now no more fighting, ok? We didn't take Mission because I couldn't find her and I was running out of time. If you want to be angry be angry but…"She leaned a bit heavier into his hand as it struck her again.

Her vision blurred and for a moment, she forgot where she was. She didn't see anyone, didn't see her surroundings and certainly didn't hear them. But she heard something. Something she thought was going to be a sound she'd become familiar with as time progressed.

Malak's voice.

"_If you go, I too will follow." It was night time as Malak paced back and forth within the confounds of an unknown ship. His hands were clasped behind his back, his eyes on the floor as he slowly walked. "Whether it's the darkness that consumes us or if we do not survive at all, I will follow you. You have a plan… that I know. I trust you…" _

_He stopped and looked at Samirah, her heart stopping before she realized that she was watching through Revan's eyes. Malak smiled at her before stopping and reaching a hand out to her, ruffling her hair softly as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. A true friend indeed. A friend who will follow you even when the danger is imminent and success is nearly inexistent. They follow you into the heart of darkness._

_Malak was that friend._

Samirah blinked again to fine herself staring straight at a terrified Carth. His hands were gripped firmly on her arms, keeping her standing instead of falling. She could feel Canderous' hands on her back and she noticed that she wasn't exactly up right. Her head had lolled backwards and drooped to the side as she came back slowly to the present.

She had heard Revan's thoughts. They felt like her own.

"Samirah!" She finally realized that Carth had been calling her name. "Are you ok?"

She numbly nodded her head as she waited for her head to clear again. She raised her hand to her face and felt a wet droplet run down her cheek. A tear? Was she crying?

"What… happened?" She wondered while Bastila moved beside Carth in an instant, her face calm as she quickly examined Samirah, looking her over.

"You had another vision believe. The Map must be greatly affect you since you are unaccustomed to such exposure as I am. You are acutely attuned to the first it would seem so you are very sensitive and susceptible to it. The force seems to be communicating with you, perhaps in hopes of helpings us further our investigation of Revan's descent to the dark side." She clarified despite the few traces of worry on her face.

Carth glanced at Bastila as she mentioned the map but dismissed it to return his attention to Samirah. He had the feeling that now wasn't the best time to try and acquire the answers he sought after.

"Ok…" She murmured as Carth gently pulled her away from Canderous, supporting her wait entirely. Canderous didn't fight him or argue but allowed her to be taken.

"Let the kid rest, soldier boy. She's had a rough day." His tone was calm and matter-of-fact. To Carth, it was unnecessary. He already knew that just from looking at her. She was pale and one look told anybody who was paying attention that what she really needed was a bed.

He shouldn't have started to shout at her and let on that he was unhappy with the situation. For once, her owed Canderous an apology but wasn't ready to give it. The smug Mandalorian would get over it. Samirah's eyes were still far away as she stared past him, trying to regain her focus.

"I know." He said quietly before he put one arm around her shoulders and sweeping the other under her knees so that she was now rested in his arms. She didn't resist and instead, rested her head on his chest.

The migraine had returned. She seemed to develop one each time she was struck with images from the force. She just wanted to sleep and wanted it to go away. Carth held her tightly as he quickly turned around and walked swiftly back to the Enclave. He didn't waste much time talking to Bastila and Canderous so Samirah had to figure that Bastila was going to inform the Council of their findings and Canderous… well, he was going to more than likely return to the _Ebon Hawk._

_Rest easy. The Council will be notified of what we found. Do not fret. I will ensure that everything is taken care of._

The voice was Bastila's. It breezed through her mind like mint, soothing the aching pain that pressed against her skull. Within seconds the pain was gone and she was overwhelmed with exhaustion. Apparently Bastila was cheating, using her power with the force and their bond to ensure she slept. Her head bobbed as she tried to fight the suggestion Bastila had planted in her head, all the while, being vaguely aware of Carth as he moved and of the people that shot them strange glances. The walls blurred as he moved quickly down the hallway of the Enclave, searching for her room.

He found it with ease this time and managed to open the door with only minor difficulties. Her room was as simple as ever and well kept as expected of the Jedi. He gingerly laid her down on her bed for the second time since they had arrived in Dantooine. Her eyes were nearly shut as she tried to keep them open to see him. He pulled the sheets over her and was making sure she was comfortable when he caught her staring at him.

"I'm sorry…"She spoke slowly and softly as her chocolate brown eyes searched his. Her brunette hair fell loosely on top of her pillow and for the first time he noticed the natural auburn highlights that were weaved into each strand. How had he not noticed? It was faint so easy to miss but for some reason... they were visible.

"Sorry?" She nodded slowly as he smiled softly, a little amused at her sudden change in mood. Damn, he just couldn't stay angry with her.

"I was worried… that if I brought you along… you wouldn't be safe. I thought… you'd be safer here… safe…" Her voice slowly fell as her eyes closed and her head fell against the pillow. Carth waited as her breathing deepened until he let go of the breath of air he hadn't known he had been holding.

He was stunned.

She was trying to keep him safe. She wanted _him_ to be safe. He wanted to laugh. She had this big heart and it was determined to keep everyone safe, even him. He somehow found himself unable to stay mad at her as he watched her sleeping form on the bed. He couldn't be mad. She was safe again and what made him smile was that she was looking out for him as well. This whole time he thought he was the one protecting her and now it seemed that she was protecting him. She was going to be the death of him, he knew it. It's hard to protect someone when they're busy trying to protect you.

Troubled times were ahead of them and he had a feeling that everything they knew was going to be put the test. Everything they did. Their safety, their will power, their strength, their wisdom and even the ability to protect the people around them. He didn't comprehend the dark side like they did but he knew not to underestimate it. Whatever this _map_ was and whatever it meant, it wasn't good. Without feeling it, he instinctively knew that the dark side was closely connected to it. It had to be. Revan had fallen prey to it. It had consumed people and it was going to be his mission not to let anyone else fall. Especially not Samirah.

"Get some sleep, Samirah…" He said it with a small smile as he stroked her hair out of her face. She was growing on him. He was in trouble and he knew it because this small girl was slowly becoming a bigger piece in this whole fight and he'd be damned if he let her go it alone. "I'll be here when you wake up."

He wasn't going to let her keep him on the sidelines. Wherever she went, he was going to make sure he was close by. Everyone needed a little bit of help and he was going to provide it to her. Whatever it may be. The dark side was a wicked thing. It pulled Revan and Malak and no matter how strong Samirah was... he knew that she would be tempted and he wanted to be there when she was. This was only the start of their battle against the dark side. The battle against Malak. Samirah was key to it somehow and Bastila knew it. The council knew it. They just needed to wait to see what the Council said about it all.

And Carth had this eerie feeling he already knew what they would do.

* * *

**Thanks for reading guys and thanks to all my readers who have stayed dedicated even though it looked hopeless after a while. Please review and let me know what you think, I love to hear from you guys! :) It makes me feel really good to know you enjoyed to story or to even see you guys laugh over silly lines :3 I can't wait to hear from you guys.**

**Also, this is your last chance to vote on the planet in which Samirah will travel. LAST CHANCE. Next chapter will be written using the winner. Vote ASAP! :)**

**Thanks for reading guys and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	23. Chapter 22: Change is Afoot

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, George Lucas, KOTOR or anything with a lightsaber... but I WILL own the lightsaber chopsticks that I am thinking about buying... :3 yeah... its going to happen.**

**I'm back! **

**My sincerest apologies to my poor readers who have waited and waited for me to get my act together! I have a chapter for you guys, ready to go! I know i haven't updated in a while but i'm back to diligently working so long as all my major papers for college are over and done with! So thank you for your patience and thank you to everyone who voted on where the crew of the _Ebon Hawk_ was going! The verdict is in and you'll have to read to find out where ;)**

**Evil. I know. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Change is Afoot**

"_Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever."_

Time. It seemed to pass at the pace of a Felucian snail as everyone waited for the Council to deliver their verdict. Which is pretty slow when you consider how massively big they are at just two meters in length. Big but with all that weight, incredibly slow. That was how time felt to Samirah. She spent most of it recovering until she was to her up beat and outgoing self with the help of Carth. He constantly checked up on her and there were a few times when she would black out for a few seconds as the scenes from the map replayed behind her eyes. The images imprinted into her brain, the voices and sounds replaying like a broken record. After a brief moment, she'd be conscious of the world around her again and Carth would be staring at her with a look of concern.

She would tell him that she was just tired and struggling to focus so that he wouldn't worry. A small lie but one that served its purpose well.

Bastila spent most of the time in meditation and while Samirah attempted this tactic to ease the storm of images in her mind, she didn't seem to be able to sit still. She would constantly fidget and the meditation only seemed to bring up more images. It was like the map had tainted her. Instilled these images into her brain like a tattoo on her skin, like a virus that courses through your veins; unshakeable. Instead, she would spend her time working on the _Ebon Hawk,_ fixing dents and scrapes and broken pieces that she hadn't been able to fix once they left Taris. The thought of the now lifeless planet left an aching in her chest. She needed to do something. Anything. Sitting around was not her style.

She had inspected the ship several times, looking for any kind of imperfection that could be easily fixed or if not so easy to fix, a learning experience that would further educate her on the mechanics of the peculiar ship. The _Ebon Hawk _was nothing like her own ship, the _Silver Meridian. _Her ship was shaped differently and more compact. It wasn't a smuggling vessel, as the _Ebon Hawk _was, for she had no need of smuggling. Scouting required tactic, stealth, reconnaissance, poise, quick thinking, splicing, hacking; you name it and she more than likely had to know it. Skilled as she was, the _Ebon Hawk_ was not her ship and was still foreign to her. The walls were not the ebony black color she was accustomed to, the floor not the shiny silver metal that seemed to shine the more she traveled; nor the familiarity of her room, the simple cot with several small pillows, a writing desk adorned with empty holovids of a life she was beginning to forget. She didn't own any holograms of her family or even of her old home. A place she hadn't visited in so many years she had already begun to forget its place within her heart.

That ship was all she had left of her memories of that life. The life before a scout. The life before a Jedi. Now she would have to turn the _Ebon Hawk _into her new home. Whatever happened to just leaving after Dantooine? What happened to her plans on drifting through the galaxy and searching for undiscovered places; what happened to her old life? She felt like she needed to reclaim herself. She needed to tinker with this new ship and know it, inside and out, like she knew her old ship.

The thought of calling the _Silver Meridian _her old ship gave her such a sad smile.

She grabbed a bag full of tools and an unused towel before quietly heading to the hangar. She was about to leave the hangar when she bumped into Canderous doing his usual habit of tinkering on the already perfectly repaired swoop bike. His back was turned to her as he inspected every crevice the bike had to offer. A pair of wire cutters were held tightly in his hand as he pulled wires and replaced them. The sound of Samirah's boots across the metal floors drew his attention to her as she entered the room.

"Well if it isn't the kid." He said with a lazy half smile. She came to a stop and offered him a small smile.

"Afternoon, Canderous. How does she look?" Samirah gestured to the swoop bike before him with a nod of her head and his smile turned into a proud grin as he held his head high.

"My work is nothing but the best. Try losing a swoop race in this bike, its damn near impossible even if it was soldier boy who piloted this baby." His voice rang with pride as he boasted about his newfound child that he had nursed and nursed into perfection.

"I'll be sure to inform him the next time I see him." She said, giving him a big smile. "I'll let him take care of any future races." Canderous shook his head.

"The way you raced on Taris is evidence that only you should be the pilot. You have raw talent kid, I like that. He can't come close to racing like you. He'd have a better chance of winning this race as a Gamorrean does of being pretty." He turned his back to her again as he examined some bolts that seemed to have lost their shine over the past few minutes. He reached out and grabbed a clean cloth off the nearby bench and began to scrub it clean yet again.

"How do you know if you don't give him the chance to try?" She asked curiously, her arms folding across her chest as she smirked. Canderous grunted.

"Trying is one thing kid. Actually performing it is another and I ain't about to let him try on her just yet. Just let him_ try_…" He mumbled the last sentence to himself.

"You and Carth seem to have a little tension between the two of you… am I missing something?" It was more of a playful way to egg Canderous on but she was curious. Ever since they had returned from the ruins, Canderous and Carth had been shooting daggers at one another whenever they crossed paths. Canderous grunted again as a hint of a smile found its way across his face.

"_It's not me who's missing something_…" He mumbled as he flicked his gaze at her before looking back at the bike. Samirah's expression turned from one of humor to one of puzzlement.

"What?"

"It's a thing between men, kid. He wants to do things his way and I want to do them mine. He just has a little trouble accepting a few things." His said with a toothy grin as he started on rewiring the swoop bike, yet again. "You shouldn't concern yourself with us though; soldier boy will do just fine." Before Samirah could inquire about what he meant, he turned to look at what she was carrying with a smirk. "Aren't you setting out to do something?"

Her eyes drifted down to the tools in her hands and she remembered her task at hand. She was going to repair a few pieces of the ship.

"I suppose so…" She pulled free a wrench from the bag and twirled it between her fingers as she contemplated where to start.

"Need any help?" She looked up to see his attention still focused on the bike, but his words directed at her.

"Aren't you busy with the swoop bike?" That was all he ever did. The idea of him working on something else was… unheard of almost. He glanced over his shoulder to offer her another toothy grin.

"Does it look like I'm busy, kid? I've put this bike back together so many times I could do it blindfolded during the biggest battle of my life and still kick some ass." He said, his eyes gleaming at the thought. He was itching for some action, for some excitement. He wasn't one to sit still for too long and that's exactly what these Jedi had him doing. He glanced over at Samirah, her eyes still staring at the swoop bike in awe. She was now one of those peace-keeping, justice fighting, people protecting, nose-stuck-up-in-the-air, magic cheating, touchy feely, force wielding good doers known as Jedi. Had she changed?

Her eyes moved to find his and she smiled at him.

"That takes some dedication, I must say." Her voice was as light as always, it was a sound smooth and soft but as light as the sound of bells. Clear but pleasing to the ear. "So long as you don't mind to help, I could use the extra support."

She tilted her head and gave him such a sweet smile that made him grunt in response. No. She hadn't changed from her innocent, care-free self and he was positive she hadn't lost her fight. She couldn't lose her spirit. It was impossible.

"Alright, lead the way kid." He gestured for her to go first. She pushed away from the doorway with a smile, the tools firmly held in her hand. She moved swiftly past him, with light and airy steps, out of the hangar and into the plaza of the Jedi Enclave.

It was bright and at first, blinding as they left the ship into the warm, breezy afternoon. It was quiet as the few Jedi who weren't busy training, roamed silently from place to place, silently greeting everyone that crossed their path. Samirah and Canderous were beyond their notice as they crawled beneath the ship. She found a long panel about half her size that was dented and scratched up from countless fights that had never been repaired. She had hoped the _Ebon Hawk _wasn't that different from the _Silver Meridian _when it came down to the mechanics and hoped that this panel led to more wiring and functions of the ship. If she could tweak around inside and repair anything, it might fix little annoyances aboard the ship such as flickering lights in the hallways and perhaps even the food synthesizer. A long shot but you never knew what wire was connected to what. For all she knew, the purple wire could be connected to the big guns or the yellow one to the hyper drive.

She prayed it wasn't.

She placed both hands on either side of the paneling, careful not to pull it all crashing down on her as she tried to dislodge it. She pulled, the slab of metal barely budging as a crease formed on her brow. She tugged and yanked, the panel not giving way under the force. Canderous watched from the side, wondering if she was going to finally ask him to pull it free for her. A dent in one of the corners was melted into the ship keeping the panel in place. It wasn't coming free anytime soon. Samirah was tugging with all her might, her face turning red as she held her breath to focus all her strength on the panel.

"Hey kid, I don't think pulling any harder is going to pull it free." He snickered only to earn a glare from Samirah as she redirected her attention to the panel.

"Oh yes it will…" She pulled her hands away, holding one up in the space between her and the ship. It shimmered different hues of blue before the panel itself was encased in the same light. She scrunched her hand just faintly enough for the panel to contort to her will, pulling free from the welded side before she tossed the panel away using the Force.

Canderous had to quickly duck his head and roll out of the way as the panel came flying his way, clipping the side of his shoulder. He barely even winced as it crashed across the pavement with a deep ringing sound as it slid the rest of the way across. The scratch was only minor and hardly drew blood; it was the least of his worries. The moment the panel came loose, an onslaught of sand, dust, mud, powder and rocks came crashing out on top of Samirah. She started to scream but promptly shut her mouth and turned her head as the contents covered her from the waist up.

When it settled, she was coughing and gasping as she wiped her eyes clear of all the muck. Canderous just stayed in one place as he smirked at the now dirt covered Jedi who was still trying to wipe away dirt from her face.

"Oh my stars…" She breathed. "It's a wonder she can even fly to start off with." She reached her hand inside to find wires and circuit boards that were wired to the parts of the ship. Most of the wiring were aboard the _Ebon Hawk _and could be fixed on the ship. Beneath the ship, however, was where the oddities were found; the landing gears and other minute details that weren't regularly checked or ever even thought about until they caused problems from being neglected. A point she wasn't going to miss.

"It seems we have a bit of work to do, Canderous. The landing gear is about two or three landings away from jamming, the wires that keep the circuit board working aboard the ship is falling apart and what's worse is that I don't think anyone ever looked in here before so it seems we have our work cut out for us." She actually smiled instead of frowning.

"Good. About time I worked on something other than the swoop bike. Funny how my occupation has made such a far-reaching change from a warrior to a mechanic." His words sounded slightly bemused at the idea and when she took a glance at him, she could see the traces of a smile. His mind had wondered away to times long before her.

"Do you miss it?"

He was jutted from his few moments of relapse to times when all that mattered to him was battle. When all he ever carried with him was his blaster and a head held so high, he wondered how it had never reached the clouds.

"Miss what? The Wars? There will always be a war kid. There is never any time to miss it because another one will replace it and the Mandalorians will always be a part of it. We're in high demand when it comes to wars. The Mandalorian Wars were just another one of many."

"How long have you been fighting?" She asked, her hand groping the floor for a wrench until she felt someone slide it into her hand. She turned her head slightly to smile at the Mandalorian before focusing again on the web of circuits and wires.

"I've been fighting across the galaxy for 40 of your years." He made a point of saying, earning a playful glare from her. He just smiled in response. "For my people it's the honor and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes."

"Is that why you work as a mercenary now? That all Mandalorians work as mercenaries? Why don't you all help the Republic against the Sith?" She asked optimistically hoping. He chuckled, though, light and surreal.

"It's not that easy kid. Times have changed now. The Mandalore clans have been scattered across the Outer Rim, the Republic is in decline and the Sith Empire rises to take its place. The Republic would accept no help of ours, even in the scattered numbers that we are." He handed her a few other tools when he saw her hand searching for something while the other held something in place. A wire or more paneling perhaps.

He thought about how diminished he felt. He wasn't a bloodthirsty warrior. He wasn't solely after the glory of the fight but he had been so accustomed to war, to killing, to fighting to the last man that he felt out of place here in this serene place.

"The clans as they were aren't a threat, but the galaxy still fears us. They think we war out of spite, or bloodlust but they don't understand. And people fear what they don't understand. It was the challenge that we received out of battle. Crushing Davik's enemies and the pathetic gangs in the Lower City of Taris could not be considered the most glorious of tasks. It would not be something I would proudly accept as a task." He felt lost.

How was it that a Mandalorian such as himself has stooped so low as to fight meager and insignificant beings? It was beneath him. This was not what he had set out to do. How had he come to find himself stranded on Taris as he did working for the lowest of low people? What happened to him? He scooted over until he was beside Samirah, laying next to her to offer support as she struggled to move things and keep a hold on others. She smiled graciously to him as they worked in silence for a few moments, his mind wondering in self-pity at how quickly his life has spiraled into nothingness.

"It's not too late, you know." Canderous looked at her quizzically, a small smile on her face. "We may not receive the help of the whole clan, but at least we got your help. There's still much to do and I have faith that whatever the Force has in store for you… it's something worthy of you and your caliber." She turned to smile at him and he couldn't help the smile he gave her in turn, followed by a low chuckle.

"Alright kid, I hope your right. For now, you've got my help and it seems, so does this ship." She nodded as their focus returned back to the ship. The object that had occupied her attention along with the bit of conversation that she had had with Canderous. She was bound to help him feel needed again and help him fill this void she could feel emanating from him. This sadness at a loss of purpose.

She'd found herself some busy work.

She would help Canderous. That would keep her mind off of things along with fixing this ship up to pristine working order. She found a piece of her old life. Only a shard, but something to slow her rapidly beating heart as her mind processed all the changes thus far. She was no longer a scout.

She was a Jedi.

* * *

"Admiral, I understand the necessity of returning to the fleet. I do. But something is happening here. Something big and I think they're going to need all of the help they can get." Carth stood quietly in front of the hologram of Admiral Dodonna.

The war was evident on her face. Carth could see the years of strain it had put on her, especially over the past few months since he last saw her. Her grey eyes were just as piercing and calculating as they watched him through the hologram, her flawless posture intimidating and her head held high despite their current status in the war.

Admiral Dodonna was the very essence of a perfectionist. Her uniform was spotless. Every button gleaming, every medal in perfect alignment and not a single hair out of place. She was an old woman but that hardly even mattered when it came down to her. She may not be young in years but she still had the vigor and the strength of any young woman in the galaxy. She was a real symbol of strength and courage.

"Are you certain about this, Onasi?" She asked him quietly. "The Republic could really use your skills right now. With Malak gaining more allies, I fear we may be in a far worse situation then we were to believe at the beginning. Revan was our main threat but with the Dark Lord gone, Malak has become just as bad. We need your help." Though her words were on the verge of pleading , her face remained neutral.

"I understand Admiral but I believe that whatever they are planning here is going to be crucial to the war efforts. It has to be. It may be the edge we need to win this fight." She nodded her head, letting out a long sigh as she did so, closing her eyes.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Onasi." There was real sincerity in her words. She may be a hard woman, tough on the inside and on the outside, but she and Carth always managed to get along. She trusted him and his judgments. It may have been hard to do sometimes but he had proved his worth, time and time again.

"So do I, Admiral."

"I have never doubted you and have no reason to do so now. If this feels important to you than I have no doubt that it is. Your absence will not go unnoticed. Keep me posted." He nodded as the transmission ended and he fell back into a chair.

Did he know what he was doing? He didn't even know what the Council had in store yet. All he got from Samirah was that they had uncovered something that would, if they followed the trail, explain Revan's fall to the dark side. A piece of a map. Samirah had seemed a little distracted whenever she spoke of the temple but she always played it off as being tired and in need of recovery. At first, it worked and Carth believed her but something… something kept bothering him. She wasn't focused and he was almost positive that she was sometimes so far lost in thought that she wasn't even there. It was like her body was there but her eyes would lose their shine, their focus—their color.

Her chocolate brown eyes would shift colors, changing from that lustrous color to a dull, hazel color. He always knew when it happened. That shift in color clued him in whenever something happened. Whatever it was, he knew she would be reluctant to tell him and whenever he asked her, she proved him right by playing it off. He let it be but he became very wary and decided to keep a close eye on her. He had made the decision not to pester her with so many questions and would just keep quiet. He didn't want to upset her but the fact of the matter was still present. Something was off. And it was more than just a simple color change in her eyes and loss of focus.

Something was going on and he bet it had to do with the temple.

The sound of someone clearing their throat pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see a Padawan he didn't recognize standing in the door way. His hands were fastened behind his back, his black hair short with a long braid of hair tucked behind his ear. He was a little nervous standing aboard the mysterious ship and seemed even more nervous looking at Carth.

"Uh, pardon me sir but… but I was hoping I could find Padawan Samirah here." He asked nervously, his eyes darting around.

"She isn't here at the moment. Last I saw her she was trying to find something to fix on the ship, is there something I can help you with?" Carth offered as nicely as he could. It was apparent that the kid felt uncomfortable. He shook his head quickly.

"Uh, no, that won't be necessary. I was sent to retrieve Padawan Samirah by the Council. Padawan Bastila is already there. Excuse me…" He bowed before quickly backing away and leaving the ship as Carth stared blankly in his direction.

Samirah and Bastila only? Of course. It would be restricted to those two only. The Council never discussed delicate matters with anyone else other than their own. Again, he was left out of the loop until Samirah filled him in. He was hoping it wouldn't be long before he would actually be clued in to everything. The best he could do was wait patiently for the meeting to finish and hope for the best. He was beginning to learn a bit of patience with these people but the truth of the matter still remained.

He hated being out of the loop.

* * *

She hurried to dust herself off of all the muck as she rushed down the corridors of the enclave. She was a mess from head to toe, what perfect timing to be summoned. The boy in front of her, Titus Vapasi as she recalled, hurried with quick steps towards the chamber. She had met his acquaintance a few amount of times before, he was a very shy and timid boy. A thing the Council hoped to change. She felt sympathy for this boy because he struggled to have courage not only in himself, but in the force as well.

"The Council seemed anxious to see you, Miss. I ask not what, but only agreed to retrieve you. I'm sorry for troubling you…" he apologized as they reached the door. She stopped in front of him and leaned forward so that she was at eye level with him. He was probably thirteen or fourteen years old, still a child with much to learn.

She couldn't relate to how he felt. She was never that young, trying to learn to be Jedi. How close was she to this being her permanent lifestyle when she was a child? Could this have been her? He had a long road ahead of him she was sure. She wanted to hug the poor boy and give him strength she wished she had.

"Titus…" He was avoiding eye contact until she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax. You do not have to apologize. It was your task to retrieve me and was the will of the Council to do so."

"Uh, y-y-yes ma'am." He stuttered. She smiled warmly at him, making him blush and avoid eye contact again.

"Now go study and work hard for me, ok? I want to be able to see you a fully fledged Jedi and I know you have the ability to do it. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask. I will do all that I can to help you, Padawan Titus." His face lit up as his bright blue eyes met hers, nodding excitedly. He ran away quickly and she waited until he was out of sight before turning to face the doors to the Council.

This was it. Their verdict was ready.

She opened the doors and slowly walked in to find Bastila already standing before the Council. They turned at the sound of her arrival. Bastila only semi turned to watch Samirah enter, her arms crossed over her chest before returning her attention back to the Council. They had apparently been discussing certain matters before her arrival. No doubt about their conclusion about the map.

"Padawan Samirah," Vandar began in a humble tone. Always so kind and calm when he spoke. "It is good that you have returned to us. We have discussed this matter intently. You have done well in discovering the Star Map hidden within the ancient ruins. But there is more you must do in the battle against Malak and the Sith."

"More?" She questioned suspiciously. He nodded slowly.

"We Jedi know victory over the Sith will not come through martial might. The Council has a mission for you, Padawan." She already had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. They didn't want to train her some more? They certainly wouldn't send her to chase Malak… would they? It would be suicide.

"I have consulted our vast archives in an effort to discover the nature of this 'Star Forge', but all my efforts have been in vain." Dorak spoke solemnly and Samirah noted the dark circles beneath his eyes. He must have been up many nights searching all the possible places such information could be found. The fact that not a single thing could be traced was a disheartening thought.

"Still," Vrook began, a fierce look still lingering in his old eyes. "The Council are in agreement: the Star Forge must be found! Revan and Malak sought it out when they began their tragic fall; the Star Forge is surely a powerful tool of the dark side." His words were cold and careful, no different then his usual tone of voice as he watched her.

"The Star Map in the ruins showed you four planets," Vandar said, his eyes pulling away from Vrook to look kindly at her. "But it was incomplete. It did not show the location of the Star Forge itself. We believe there may be similar Star Maps on other planets. Each Star Map is likely a small piece of a larger puzzle. Find the Star Maps on Kashyyyk, Tatooine, Manaan and Korriban and we believe they will lead you to the Star Forge."

"You want _me_ to find them?" Samirah said incredulously. "With all due respect Council members but do you not believe it is better if you sent a more experienced Jedi or—or—or Bastila? Someone trained better?" She questioned in shock. Vandar just smiled.

"The bond between Bastila and you is strong. It will not only strengthen your knowledge and connection to the Force but it will strengthen you both. As a Jedi, you will learn better by actually doing rather than simply just seeing. There is much to learn from the galaxy that we cannot teach."

"What Master Vandar means to say," Vrook interrupted impatiently, "Is that as a Padawan, you require first-hand experience in actions rather than just knowledge."

"Is it not a gamble to send me though? I'm only but a neophyte here." She countered, not meaning to be disrespectful but wanting to understand.

"Yes, but your connection to the Force is great. The Force does indeed work through you like no other and thus, we have chosen you. The Force wills it as so." Vandar spoke, nodding his head at her. He seemed to be amused by something and she guessed it was in his nature to find amusement in odd places.

"The Jedi numbers have been ravaged," As he said this, his face fell a bit in despair, "by this war, by defections to Malak's cause and by Sith assassins. But we realize the importance of this mission. Yet if we sent a company of Jedi Knights with you we would surely draw the full attention of Malak and the Sith, dooming your efforts to failure."

She nodded, conceding to their will. Who was she to argue with them?

"Secrecy is our best defense against the Sith, but it would be foolish to send you on this quest without someone to aid you, Padawan. Bastila will accompany you, for there is a powerful connection between you two… a connection that might be the key to unraveling the mysteries uncovered by Revan." Vandar said before his smile returned ever so slightly.

"And Juhani has also asked to accompany you." At the sound of that, both Samirah and Bastila looked at the Master with wide, shocked eyes. Speechless at the addition of the woman Samirah had met at the Grove.

"After long deliberation we have granted her request." Before either of them could open their mouths—Samirah to ask why and Bastila to protest—Vrook quickly cut them off with a quick, hard look and his sharp tone.

"Juhani nearly fell to the dark side." He reminded. "Perhaps her presence will serve as a reminder to you of the dangers of that path." His eyes remained on Samirah as if he doubted her and for some reason, this upset her a great deal. Why was he so certain of this?

"Of course," Vandar spoke up, his eyes a warning to Vrook before showing the kindness again to Samirah, "those who aided you on Taris will also come; they possess skills you may find useful in your quest. Remember that secrecy and discretion are paramount to your success. You will not be able to hide the fact that you are Jedi, nor should you. But the true nature of your mission must not reach Malak's ears." He warned.

"Yes, Master." She obeyed, lowering her eyes in nervousness. She wasn't ready for this. None of this. What happened to her plans? To her old life? What happened? How did she get sucked into this… this nightmare? She wasn't meant to be a Jedi. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. So then how did it happen? It was official. Her old life was over.

"You may return here at any time, Padawan Samirah. Do not fret." Vandar said kindly, earning her gaze again. "Dantooine will be a sanctuary for you, a safe haven. Here you can find supplies and whatever advice or other aid we may give you. We are here for you, if need be." He assured her and that somehow seemed to lift a bit of the weight off her shoulders. She wouldn't be doing this alone. All her life, she was always alone. The only person aboard her ship unless she was transporting travelers in return for their aid.

She smiled at that. She wasn't going to be alone. She had the entire crew of the _Ebon Hawk _to help her so long as they were willing to stay. She knew Bastila would be with her... and Carth. This wasn't a task she could do by herself and she was so grateful that she didn't have to. Perhaps her old life really was over: the lonely journeys, the quiet meals, the aftermath of some battle with no one to pat you on the back and say _that was some quick thinking. You really did an excellent job. _She didn't require praise but every now and then it would have been nice to have someone pick her up when she couldn't move or tell her how good she was doing.

She never had that.

She felt relieved but also felt a wave of fear. Fear at this change. She'd have to hide as best she could the fear she had about this upcoming journey. She'd never taken on such a task before. She'd never had visions of Dark Lords and their descent into the darkness. Change was one thing but this was something on a whole new scale.

_One problem at a time, Samirah_, she chastised herself. _One problem at a time. We'll do this one step at a time and figure out how to handle it all. Right now, just keep moving forward._

"Yes, Master. Thank you for the hospitality and for all that you have given me. I will not squander it and I will not fail you." She promised though in her heart, she already felt the doubts. The images that plagued her, the fear of having to go against so much, the weight that was now placed on her—she was scared.

"You can leave whenever you wish," Vrook said but she knew he didn't mean what he said. He didn't want her to wait at all. They were in a hurry for her to find the Star Forge. "The sooner the better. The longer you wait the stronger Malak becomes. But first a warning, young Padawan."

She caught his eyes and she could already see the urgency in them. He wanted her to take him seriously and he meant every word that he said. His blue eyes held hers for a very long time, causing her to fidget a little. "The lure of the dark side is difficult to resist. I fear this quest to find the Star Forge could lead you down an all too familiar path."

She blinked at him, his words striking some chord deep inside her. Was he referring to her time as a Scout? She'd never known the dark side but she had known evil. She had never faced anything like the darkness you felt as a Jedi. That slithery feeling across your skin, the sweet whispers that promised you anything and everything—she had known nothing of this until she had become a Jedi. To her, evil was what you found in the dark corners of Nar Shaddaa or in the heads of crime lords who killed for enjoyment. For no reason at all.

The Dark Side was worse. She'd never known anything like it before.

Their eyes were locked for several moments, his message replaying in her head several times before Master Vandar broke the tension. Though, even as he spoke, she could feel Master Vrook's piercing eyes watching her with an intensity that made her feel small in the spacious room full of powerful Jedi Masters.

"The fate of the galaxy is in your hands, young Padawan. We pray you are up to the challenge." He said with hope and faith weaved into every word. He had faith in them. In her. The pressure was a lot and the task even bigger. "May the Force be with you, Padawan Samirah." He finished as the other Master's murmured the same.

Master Zhar smiled at her, handing her a small holocron.

"May this serve as a token to remind you of your courage and your strength. Whenever you feel lost and unsure, let this be your guide." He offered and she slowly accepted it. It was a beautiful turquoise cube that had speckles of silver throughout it. A light illuminated the inside as an intricate pattern of designs were encrusted all around the box that fit snugly in her hand. She looked at Master Zhar with a smile and nodded.

"Thank you… Master. I will take good care of it, I promise." He nodded with a small smile on his face. A smile of admiration.

"I know you will, Padawan. Do not lose yourself on this journey. It will become hard and when it does, know that we have faith in you and know you will do what is right. The Force will guide you so long as you let it."

"I will." She nodded before she and Bastila slowly turned to leave the chambers.

* * *

Carth stood at the edge of the hangar, leaning against the wall as he watched Samirah talk to some Twi'lek who had apparently been waiting for her. He was growing ever more impatient as he waited but he vowed to keep cool. He wouldn't pester her like he had before. He would keep a calmness about him. He was going to have to accept that he wasn't ever in the loop. He never knew what was going on when it came down to the Jedi.

Canderous was wiping his hands clean of oil and whatever other gunk had been found in the contents under the ship. Quite frankly, he didn't want to know what it was but it felt good to work on something other than the Swoop Bike. He wiped the small trickle of blood from his arm where the panel had cut him. A small cut but nothing worth attention and hardly noticeable. He leaned against the other side of the door next to Carth as he followed his gaze to see Samirah speaking to another Jedi. Carth was aware of the unwelcomed presence but chose to ignore it. He really didn't have anything to say to the Mandalorian.

"Seems like the kids finished her meeting already, doesn't it." He spoke calmly and matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. So it would seem." Carth's voice was clipped and forceful almost. Canderous just chuckled as he checked his arms for any signs of the muck that he may have missed.

"Listen Soldier boy. I know you're worried about—"

"—Worried? I'm not worried. About _anything_." He said with a little more venom in his words than he would have liked but he was at the moment, not in any mood to bump chests with Canderous. He had nothing to prove.

"Right, sure you aren't." Canderous said with a smug expression before turning to leave once he saw that Bastila and Samirah had finished their talks with the Twi'lek. "That scrunched up expression of yours says otherwise. Take my advice and—"

"—I don't need your advice." Canderous stopped to look at him but shrugged before continuing on his way to the showers.

"Your call Soldier boy." How he loved to tease Carth. He may not be on the front lines of some war that didn't really matter but it was worth it if he could play with this pilot. "But if you keep that hard expression of yours on your face, you'll scare the kid off." He mused.

Carth turned to glare at him but only saw Canderous' back as he walked away to find a hot shower. That only infuriated him more.

Bastila and Samirah were murmuring to each other as they boarded the _Ebon Hawk, _their hushed tones bugging him even more but he vowed to not say a word. He backed out of the way, allowing them to pass by, unobstructed by his curiosity and irritation by the silence. They both stopped once they were aboard the ship and looked at him. They were both shocked for a moment at the eeriness of his silence but Bastila chose to ignore it. There were more important matters to attend to at the moment.

"Carth, alert the crew that we are to leave shortly and that their presence is required back aboard the ship if they are to leave with us." Bastila spoke with finality as Samirah nodded.

"They've assigned us with the task of finding the remaining Star Maps." She said in a hushed tone but loud enough to be heard. Bastila shot her a glance, not particularly fond of the fact that she was freely giving out details. She thought Carth should just accept what he was given and be done with it.

Carth's hands were still crossed over his chest as he watched them both carefully.

They were leaving the enclave? Did the Council really decide that they were to go on this mission? Samirah was still just a newcomer to the ranks of being a Jedi. Yes, she had progressed well through the ranks and at an amazing pace but surely they wouldn't send her out on a mission that could prove to be pivotal to the war efforts… would they? That was a huge risk in more than just one way.

"And to where, may I ask, are we going?" Bastila had started to walk away and only stopped briefly to look over her shoulder at him.

"Kashyyyk." Samirah's body tensed when Bastila revealed the place she had decided to visit next. She didn't even give Samirah the option of choosing. Samirah didn't even have time to voice a plea out to change her mind before Bastila had already disappeared from her sights.

Carth said nothing as he clenched his fists and made his way to the cockpit of the ship once Bastila was out of sight. Apparently he was wrong. They were going to send her even though everything screamed that she was too inexperienced as a Jedi to do so, with or without Bastila. Samirah scurried behind him as he began transmitting a message to the crew of the _Ebon Hawk_ that they were required aboard the ship so that they may take off. Samirah tried to keep her thoughts calm and collected as they hurried to the end of the ship. Carth immediately sat down at the controls as Samirah hesitantly began to plan their new route to Kashyyyk. The Wookiee home world. She wasn't sure she was ready to visit Kashyyyk quite yet.

She finished the coordinates before she moved to sit next to Carth in the co-pilot chair to run a quick diagnostics test on the _Ebon Hawk _to make sure she was fit for flight especially after Samirah had gone beneath the ship and started a bit of her own tinkering down there. She was keying in the commands and letting it run its test when the quietness of the room struck her. Carth wasn't asking any questions. In actuality, he hadn't been asking much of anything lately and that was unnerving her. Carth always had something to say and right now, she could really use his playful teasing to help keep her mind off the things at present.

Like Kashyyyk.

"You've been very quiet, lately, you know that? It's a little strange to be honest." She was going for a light and teasing tone, glancing at him from out of the corner of her eyes. To her disappointment, she didn't seem to succeed in lightening the mood. He was quiet for a moment more as he prepped the ship for takeoff.

"Have I been quiet? I suppose I have. I guess I just don't like being left out of the loop." He answered a little cynically and straight to the point. His tone caught her off guard as she turned around to actually face him in her chair, the diagnostics completely forgotten and her tone full of shock.

"I'm not the one leaving you out of the loop, Carth. I've been trying—"This time, he spun in his chair to look at her.

"No? Well, you certainly aren't helping matters any, either, and it's really starting to irritate me." He spat, not meaning to take his frustration out on her but he couldn't help it anymore. He reached a breaking point and she happened to be on the receiving end of it."For one thing, I want to know what the Jedi Council said to you. They pulled you in there and refused to tell me a thing about it. I couldn't even go in or be a part of any of it."

"Carth… I'm sorry you feel left out. They thought it was more important that I help find the Star Maps than stay here." She looked away and tried to preoccupy herself with the diagnostic testing, well aware of Carth's penetrating gaze as he watched her carefully.

"And why is that? You were a great help on Taris, but why would they keep you with us? Don't they… don't they have to train you or something?" She looked up at him again, pausing in her motions momentarily.

"I _am_ trained." She said a little defensive. He shook his head.

"You know what I mean, Samirah. You… you are a trained Jedi but it's not enough. It's not like you've been here since birth or childhood. You haven't been training for years with even more years of hands on training to back it all up. You're still new to it all." He argued, still irritated at everything. It didn't make sense and he wished someone would somehow be able to say something that would make it make sense.

"I've done pretty well so far…" She said in a small voice, breaking eye contact. Her fingers lay motionless a top the keys. She was feeling small again. Like a child being told she wasn't big enough to go off world yet or to even go to a swoop race by herself.

"That's completely beside the point. The Jedi encouraged you to stay with us, and I don't believe the reasons they gave. Not one bit. You're a neophyte Padawan who's been saddled with the responsibility of tracking down these Star Maps. Why? That's not normal!" Her head snapped back up to look at him in surprise, and slightly hurt. He held his hands up in defense to try and reword what he just said.

"Look, I'm not trying to provoke you or imply that you're somehow responsible for the Jedi Council… but give me a hand here, Samirah! There has to be a reason!" Her mouth dropped open as she spun to completely face him again, taking a moment to collect herself before speaking.

"So what? I can't handle this? Are you saying I'm not needed? That it's too much for me?" Her voice was low and sounded like she was extremely hurt by the accusation.

"No, I don't… I didn't mean that you can't do this, or that- that you weren't wanted, or that I want to go! It's just… damn it!" He shouted. "I'll tell you this much… I am _not _going to wait around until I'm betrayed again!" He slammed his fist into the console for emphasis on his point. He wasn't going to let her turn this around on him. Not again.

"Look, I am _not _going to betray you! What's it going to take to prove to you that I won't betray you! I am _not _Saul!" She stood up out the chair so quickly that if it wasn't bolted into the floor, it would have flipped backwards, crashing into the metal. Carth turned his head back to the computer in front of him in an attempt to avoid eye contact with her. He was frustrated. Beyond frustrated and he really didn't need this. Any of it. She didn't understand.

"Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted ever saying them.

He didn't want to look at her now. He already knew it would be a look of shock. "Look, I didn't mean it that way. I want to get to Saul, not…no… no, forget it. It seems all I can do is insult you, isn't it? Just forget I said anything. Let's… let's… just get on with what we were doing, ok?"

He was done.

"Ok, fine. How about you do it yourself? I don't think you need me here…" Her voice broke on the last word which made him turn to look at her. He figured his words had hurt her but when he turned to actually look at her, his voice caught in his throat.

Her eyes were watering as she fought to keep herself from letting the water spill over. She tried to keep a strong face on but it was hard to accomplish. She couldn't do it. She needed to leave. Right now. She turned away quickly , hiding her face in her hair as she hastily hurried away from the cockpit, trying to hide the shock and pain she felt at his insinuation.

"Samirah! Wait!" His voice was a choked cry to her but she ignored him and walked away. He sat in his chair, frozen as he thought about what he had just done.

He should know better by now. Had she not proved herself enough times to assure him that betrayal was something not found in her heart? _Her _heart, of all hearts, had no darkness in it. Why had he brought Saul back into this? He was mad at the Council, not her. The Council had nothing to do with Saul either. He had hurt her.

As she hurried to find her cot, she rubbed away the tears that had spilled over and tried to ignore the aching pain in her chest. It wouldn't have hurt so bad if it wasn't Carth who had told her. She had figured that everything was fixed and that maybe, just maybe, they were on equal ground but it didn't seem so. He still saw her as a traitor in waiting. That at a drop of the hat, she'd switch sides and leave him wondering why. It hurt her. It shocked her. It upset her.

It angered her.

Why couldn't he see her as someone good? As a friend? As an ally? Was she nothing to him but a traitor waiting for the optimal moment to pull the rug from beneath their feet?

She spun around the corner that led to the rooms when someone stepped out of the refresher and directly in her bath. Both were surprised when Samirah ran right smack into their chest, nearly knocking herself backwards when they caught hold of her elbows.

"Whoa, slow down their kid. It isn't a swoop race, now is it?" Canderous chuckled until he got a good look at her. Her red eyes and the small trails of water that signified tears. He lifted an eyebrow at her, merely curious. "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing." She stammered, trying to pull free from him. "I just... I just got something-" before she could think of an excuse, it happened again. Suddenly she wasn't aboard the _Ebon Hawk._

_She was aboard a different ship. It was slightly bigger in size and more spacious. She- or the someone whose eyes she was looking through- was pacing back and forth. She could feel their uneasiness, their thoughts cluttered with ideas and theories. They rubbed their head in irritation when a voice called out._

_"Revan, you'll gain nothing by pacing back and forth." She- Revan, not herself she reminded, spun around to look at him. To look at Malak. _

A shiver was sent down Samirah's body. She was in the Dark Lords memories again, a place she never wanted to be. An imprint of the Dark Lord must have been left in the Force and sense Samirah had such a strong connection to the Force and was following the Dark Lords trail... she was being given a glimpse.

And she didn't want to. In this memory, this vision of Revan, she felt the power of the Dark Lord and wondered... if she would somehow find herself sucked into the Darkness just like Revan was.

She would be swallowed up and lost. Looking at Malak through Revan's eyes... she knew that they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. A completely pure thought and idea such as finding the Star Forge changed into the revival of the Sith. It nearly destroyed them all.

And that scared Samirah.

* * *

**End of chapter! **

**Again, i'm really sorry about delaying this chapter so much but if its any consolation, i've begun the next chapter already (amazing, right?) and its projected release date is about a week and a half, the latest being two weeks. I'm holding myself to that and wish not to delay this any longer than possible because i know you guys are anxious for this story to get a move on already! **

**So if you could please review and tell me how i did, any comments, advice or just taking stabs at the characters and their quirkiness: all is appreciated! Thanks so much guys! I really appreciate it! 3**

**Until next time my fellow readers,**

**~~SS~~**


	24. Chapter 23: I Remember and I Forget

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, KOTOR, Bioware or any of the characters. I do, however, own this death star replica that will show me the Star Wars Galaxy when I command it! And this lightsaber pen (its true, I'm the sad person who bought these things. I will eve go as far as to tell you that when I got them, I ran around my house with the death star in one hand and the pen in the other singing Darth Vader's theme. The one that strikes fear into the hearts of everyone! :D it was a glorious moment)**

**Ok, so I know I said a week in a half for this chapter and it took longer and I understand if you don't believe me anymore when I give you a rough estimate of an update. I have a valid reason that even you guys have to forgive. I have 6 words for you.**

**STAR WAR: The Old Republic... BETA!**

**That's right. I was able to Beta test ST:ToR and they've lifted the confidentiality restrictions ( you know, the whole "You talk about it, you die" kind of thing) and it was an amazing game. If any of you are familiar with Mass Effect: This game is like that but set in Star Wars. Everything is voice acted, you have moral decisions, you can be a Jedi who follows the dark side or a Sith who follows the light side. YOUR CHOICE! It's an amazing, in depth storyline with companions (NPC) great voice acting and so much to do its ridiculous! If you were debating about getting- don't debate and do it! Especially if you've played KOTOR and KOTOR II (obviously you have because you're reading my story haha at least, I hope you are). Its an amazing MMO and I can't wait to play it!**

**Ok, I wont hold you from the story much longer, sorry! Please enjoy and I hope you like!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**I remember and I forget**

"_A person with amnesia is looked upon as ill. What of a person who can remember only this life? Is this then not a case of amnesia on a grander scale?"_

Canderous walked casually through the corridors of the _Ebon Hawk, _Samirah shivering in his arms. He wasn't exactly sure what had just happened. One moment, she was rushing through the halls and wiping tears out of her eyes—tears that had not escaped his notice—before her body stiffened and she froze. It was only a matter of seconds, not enough time for Canderous to figure out what had happened before she started to crumple to the floor. He had caught her in time, shocked at the sudden change of events before trying to wake her up. Her only response was a groan and a shivering lip.

Thus, bringing him to the female quarters of the _Ebon Hawk._

The doors opened up for him to reveal an empty room. He knew Bastila wouldn't be in here, she was meditating in one of the cargo holds. He knew this because he had passed her in the corridors as she was marching away with her head held high. That was several moments before Samirah came rushing away from the cockpit.

He gently laid her on the cot, her body shaking and her lip still quivering. She mumbled words, quiet but frantic cries that died on her lips as he watched her. A few moments would pass before she would flinch, whimpering as if she had been wounded which only puzzled Canderous. She wasn't hurt. Was she? He looked over her, making sure she hadn't suffered any injuries from their adventures that he may have missed. He may be a Mandalorian and a Mercenary but he knew what wounds looked like when he saw them. He wasn't stupid or incompetent.

Nothing. Not even a scratch on the kid.

"She's not wounded. Not physically anyway." He looked over his shoulder to find Bastila rushing into the room. Had she been watching from the corridor?

She moved to Samirah's side, kneeling beside the ailing girl who thrashed about, stuck in what would seem to be a nightmare. Bastila placed a comforting hand on her shoulder in hopes of calming her down. Samirah's eyes flashed open and she gasped out loud, her mouth hanging open like she was about to scream but something had cut her screams away. All that was heard was silence before she slumped back against the bed, her head falling to the side, away from the onlookers beside her.

Bastila frowned before moving her hand to Samirah's forehead, releasing just enough energy to quiet her thoughts and lull her to sleep. Her face and muscles relaxed, her very spirit returning back to a calm and tranquil state. Bastila felt this through the bond, relieved that she no longer could feel the fear and anguish that radiated through the bond like the power from a dying sun. She pulled the sheets over Samirah, giving her the time she needed to rest. She stood up carefully and quietly, trying not to disturb the now peaceful Jedi.

When she turned, Canderous was eyeing her carefully before casting his gaze to Samirah and back to Bastila. He… noticed something off. In Samirah's eyes… was it a trick of light or did he see something else? Bastila placed both her hands on her waist and leaning to the side on one leg, cocking her head to the side.

"What?" She asked in inpatient but hushed tone.

"You were quick to show up here, _princess."_ He said his nickname for the Jedi with extra emphasis just to enrage her even further. It must have been the lighting in Samirah's eyes. "Any idea what's wrong with the kid?" She shook her head.

"No. I do suggest, however, that we let her rest. She's had a very stressful few days and I think we out to let her get better. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some meditations to return to." She said quickly, brushing past him with poise to the cargo hold again. Canderous watched her leave, staying where he was for a few moments before grunting.

He knew she was holding back something.

And she was.

Bastila had felt it through the bond. She didn't have to know what exactly had happened but she knew exactly _who _had caused it. Instead of marching to the cargo hold like she had planned, she marched straight for the cockpit, where a certain pilot was taking the crew to Kashyyyk. She felt as the _Ebon Hawk_ finished the take off procedures and headed off for space, bracing herself against the hull of the ship for a moment. When the ship was steady again, she started off for the cockpit once more, passing Mission along the way. Mission was sitting at a table, rebuilding a pazaak deck from cards she had recently claimed while on Dantooine.

T3-M4 had powered down and was recharging in a far corner of the room as Zaalbar scarfed down a plate of some kind of gunk he had pulled from the synthesizers. She grimaced inwardly as she tried to avoid smelling the odd concoction as she passed by him. Everyone seemed to have their focus on other things and paid her hardly any attention as she made her way to where their pilot was brooding to himself. Even Bastila could feel his foul mood radiating from the cockpit without the help of the Force. She marched inside, stopping at the doorway with her hands on her hips and a big frown on her face.

"Carth, I would like to have a word with you." An audible sigh of frustration was heard from him as he shook his head.

_"…will it never end."_ He moaned. "Look Bastila, I'm not really in the mood to talk right now so if you don't mind—"She made a high pitch _humph_ before crossing her arms.

"As it would seem, I do mind Carth. What happened between you and Samirah?" She knew Samirah had had another vision of sorts but she was hoping to find out if it was something Carth had set off. Right before she felt that ripple through the Force, the ripple that knocked her from her meditation with a shock that streamed from the intensity of the vision, she felt Samirah's feelings. She felt Samirah through the Force before but not like this, it wasn't a physical pain… it was emotional.

She was hurting.

And this was all before the vision took a hold of her.

"Nothing." He grumbled, clearly not wanting to delve into detail. She clenched her fist. The stubborn man.

"Carth, what happened? I demand to—"

"Well Bastila, I hate to disappoint but you can't demand everything you want to just appear on a platter before you now can you? You may get a royal treatment at the Enclave but here it's a different story." He retorted, looking over his shoulder to find her glaring at him with an intense expression.

"Do you always have to be so difficult, Carth?" She fumed. She attempted to remain in control of her emotions but found it difficult. She was going to require more meditation on controlling her temper better but right now, she was going to be _furious _with him. She didn't like the extra stress that was being put on Samirah.

Yes, Samirah did have her infuriating moment but Bastila wished no extra stress on her. Especially not now when her focus needed to be pointed at their mission and at her own studies as a Jedi. Carth was jeopardizing that. It was hard enough that Samirah's training was cut short and that she would have to be carefully watched for any…_oddities._ Carth didn't need to add to that. Bastila would have none of it.

"Bastila, I really don't have the time or the patience for this right now, ok? So—so if you want someone to _explain _what happened, go ask Samirah. I'm sure she'll tell you _all_ about it…" He said sourly, still angry that she was making _him_ feel guilty.

He had learned a long time ago that trust was something easily broken. He had trusted Saul for years and years only to find that when his trust in Saul should have been concrete… it was broken like a thin piece of string beneath a sharp blade. Betrayal like that was something not easily forgotten and not easily forgiven. Samirah should know that. She shouldn't be offended. She shouldn't be making him feel guilty but damn it, he did! He felt guilty for saying such things! Why did she have to be so sensitive? Why did she have to make it so personal? He couldn't do anything right around her… nothing…

"I would if she wasn't unconscious and now, finally, resting in her cot."

Carth's head jerked up to stare at her with wide eyes and she felt a little smug at finally grabbing his attention. Then again, felt no pride that it came at the price of Samirah's circumstance.

"But if you want to be a stubborn, willful pilot than by all means continue what you are doing but hear me when I say that you should cause her no more harm, Carth. You seem to be far too good at it and I will not tolerate anything else causing her grief. I need her focus on this mission. We all do." He casted his eyes away as she spun around on her heals and walked out, the clicking of her shoes against the ship the only sound.

She was unconscious? What had happened? Surely it wasn't because of what he had said… was it? Damn it, could he really not do anything right? He switched the console to auto-pilot when he knew they were on the right trajectory course for Kashyyyk. The console indicated that it was about a three day flight, give or take—but it was still a flight he wasn't particularly excited about now. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face with his hands as exhaustion overwhelmed him. Why couldn't things be easy?

He wanted to check on her. He wanted to see for himself that she was really ok. He didn't like having to rely on what Bastila said—for all he knew, she was playing him. Trying to make him feel even guiltier and end up giving her an apology. He frowned at the thought of Bastila being a conniving harpy.

How easy it was to do, apparently.

* * *

_It isn't right…_

_ … What do you know?_

_ Tell me!_

… _Wait—No!_

"NO!"

Samirah screamed the words as she shot up in her bed, her breathing erratic and a sudden aching in her head. She slowly brought a hand to her forehead, the palm of it covering an eye as she rested her head against it. It was… It was like a dream. A dream that was already fading from her mind and she was scared to grasp it, to reach out and pull the vivid images back. What were they? These dreams, these...visions… that the force was supposedly _granting _her—they were slowly consuming her. Why though? What could the force possibly be trying to show her?

Her body shook and shivered as she tried to remember what she had seen but she only got clips and flashes. Not enough to peace anything together.

"Here." She looked over to see Mission standing by the cot, holding a hot cup of tea. Samirah stared at her for a moment with a vacant expression before smiling wearily.

"Thanks, Mish." Her voice cracked as she tried to clear it, gingerly accepting the hot cup. From the fragrant smell that wafted from the cup, she guessed it was Naris-bud tea.

"So hey… are you ok? I only left for a minute when I heard you yell. Did something happen?" She asked, her face tilting to the side with puzzlement. Samirah shook her head as she positioned herself comfortably in the cot, her knees pulled up to her chest and her hands cradling the hot cup of tea close to her lips.

"Yeah, sorry. Just bad dreams." She said it with a smile as she carefully sipped the tea that was piping hot. Just how she liked it. She inhaled the floral fragrance, exhaling in delight at how quickly it relieved her of the terror the visions had brought her.

"_Its… hot. Just how I like it…"_

She had meant that to only be heard by herself but Mission was paying too close attention to miss it. She smiled a big toothy grin, standing up straight.

"Yeah? I made you a cup earlier when I heard you weren't feeling so good but it go cold and Canderous told me you only liked your tea to be hot. So I kept making you a new cup each time it got cold so that it would stay fresh and hot. Perfect timing on the waking up though—I just made this cup." Samirah looked at her with a surprised expression.

"You kept making me a new cup? So that it would stay fresh and hot?" She asked, overwhelmed with gratitude and admiration at Missions thoughtfulness. Mission nodded enthusiastically, holding her hand out to demonstrate the numerical number of cups she had made.

"Four to be exact. I was able to snatch a few bags of tea—not _steal,_ but actually purchasing them at the enclave. I got tons!" She was proud of that fact and Samirah was proud of her.

"You're so sweet, Mission. I'm proud of you. The enclave is full of good people and I'm glad that you—wait," She stopped mid sentence with a blank look on her face, blinking several times before continuing with a surprised and alarmed expression,"—you said _Canderous_ told you I like my tea hot?" Mission just kept grinning, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, he told me that you won't drink it cold." She said nonchalantly as if it was an everyday thing—to know how one took their tea.

"But, when—how did—how does he…" She stammered trying to piece together how he would have figured out something so small. It was trivial. It was _Canderous._

"He said that while we were on Dantooine, he saw you at a Cantina and that it wasn't hard to figure out." She offered, sitting across the room on another cot. "He pays attention to things a little more than you think. He's a hard player in a game of Pazaak too…_ cheat.._"She mumbled, earning a slight, soft laugh from Samirah.

"I had never… really noticed." She spoke softly, still awe-struck.

"Yeah, he likes to surprise you doesn't he? Its like, he doesn't want you to know or something."Mission mused in a playful tone. "I wonder what else he knows…"

Samirah nodded slowly, still stuck on the thought that he paid enough attention to her to know how she liked her tea. Canderous didn't seem like the type of person to notice those things. Anyone else and she wouldn't have been so much surprised but flattered that they had noticed. From him though… well, she was… she was in awe. It was… abnormal and shocking but in an endearing way.

They stayed quiet for a few moments as Samirah quietly sipped her tea, rolling her thoughts around in her head and trying to keep them organized. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a comfortable silence between the two girls. Mission was patient with her, throwing out a few comments here and there to start small conversations that made Samirah smile. She had started off asking about Mandalorians and making jokes about them. Maybe they weren't just thugs in metal suits, maybe they had more to them. The conversation drifted from one topic to another, slowly taking Samirah's mind away from the visions. Mission asked about the Jedi, what the council was like, where they were going, what they were doing, how Samirah felt about it, what it felt like to be a Jedi—that one being Missions favorite question once she asked it. She seemed more interested on what had changed within Samirah that made her a Jedi. Was Samirah still Samirah?

She knew what most people did and that mainly revolved around what they saw in the holovids which depicted all Jedi as heroes. Somehow, Mission had come to find this fascination about Samirah being one of them. She had repositioned herself on the floor in front of Samirah, her legs crossed as she peered up at her with wide, admiring eyes. Samirah was in the process of trying to describe the force to her—describing how it defined the Jedi, her now empty cup of tea forgotten.

"It's like… being opened to something new. Being allowed to breathe without knowing you were ever drowning. Hearing things you've never heard before, feeling things that you never knew existed and being filled to the brim without ever knowing you were empty. The force is the key to it all—it's the words in a song, the beat within a heart, the ripples in the water; the color in the sky." Samirah waved her free hand in the air to illustrate the words she said. "It's the sand beneath your feet or the breeze against your skin. The air you breathe and the only food you'll ever need.

"It guides you, protects you and has a plan for you. It's not a weapon but an entity to protect others and defend yourself when the time comes. A Jedi is a defender of the weak. It is not an easy life either, Master Zhar taught me the difficulties of becoming a Jedi. He said that the Jedi carry a heavy burden because we cannot feel emotion, it clouds your judgment. It makes it hard to see things. _There is no emotion, there is peace."_ By explaining it, bit by bit to Mission, it cleared Samirah's thoughts.

It was calming.

"Whoa…" Mission echoed her thoughts, her bright eyes staring at Samirah. "That was like, deep. Sami, is that how you feel? When, ya know, use the Force?"

"I don't know… It's a fulfilling feeling you get. I can't describe it." She said, thinking about how it felt as the force rolled off her fingers like a light mist—a vapor of this clean and magical thing. "When I was still a scout and traveling on my own, I had always heard all these great stories about Jedi. Most notably at the time, Revan and Malak—but to me, I always grouped them in the same category as any other soldier. They just had a few more tricks up their sleeves and were revered because of whatever mystical powers they wielded.

"I could have never understood what they really were. When I visited Elrood, a planet between the Halbara and Kidron systems, I met a Jedi there. I had never spent much time around Jedi but knew enough to keep my distance—or at least try. He had a tendency to always cross my path despite the fact that I tried hard to avoid him. After the fifth or sixth time, he concluded that the Force was crossing ours paths on purpose. I denied it all and called it a poorly constructed pick-up line to be honest. I always felt bad about that. Turns out, several days later as I was scouting for a Teltior who had information I needed about another system, I stumbled into a bad situation. I had interfered with a smuggling operation. An operation involving the Exchange and was seconds away from being shot.

"That Jedi showed up out of what seemed like thin air and defended me. The smugglers were actually bounty hunters that the Jedi was out searching for and had devoted his time to bringing them to justice. They had somehow crossed the Jedi—or maybe they had taken one of them for some purpose… I don't really remember what the reason was anymore. I do remember, however, that he saved me and even made a light joke about my doubt in the Force." Samirah smiled as she remembered him fondly, his nonchalant attitude and love for life. He was a kind soul. "I never saw him again after Elrood but I remembered his name. He made sure I wouldn't… forget…" She paused, her smiling fading.

"It was… it was…" She struggled to voice it, trying to recall the words. Then the shock of it hit her.

She couldn't remember. His name was lost to her. Was he a Twi'lek? A Zabrak? She couldn't remember. The horror of it hit her so hard that she had dropped the long forgotten tea cup, staring at a blank wall as she tried to calm herself. What was his name? Marcus? Alona? She couldn't remember! Of all the things in the galaxy, she could never forget his name. So how had she managed to do it now?

Mission's hands quickly recovered the cup, setting it aside as she moved to sit next to Samirah.

"Hey, it's ok. It was a long time ago, right? You can't remember everything, Sami." She tried to make light of it but Samirah couldn't. That hit another note inside her. How long had it been? Surely not long enough for her to forget. She remembers her time on Nar Shaddaa, her time on Onderon, Exocron, Alderaan, Dagobah and even as far as the moons of Yavin but she was losing the details that were once, so important to her.

She was panicking.

And Mission could see that.

"H-hold on, ok? Everything will be ok, you'll see! I'll go get Bastila or—or someone, they'll tell you it's ok!" Mission didn't know how to handle it. She could see Samirah's eyes dart back and forth as she tried to remember things that were important to her, details she was devastated to find she had lost over time. Maybe Bastila could calm her or at the very least, take her mind off of things with a little heated argument or something.

Bastila was good at arguing.

Mission jumped up from the cot and hurried out the room as Samirah closed her eyes, envisioning the things from her past. She needed to recall them. She needed to remember. She needed to find the other important things in her life. Without them, it was like being hollow.

"_You always have a knack for finding trouble don't you?"_ _The Jedi's smile was easy to see, his stance easy to distinguish then, but concealed in the shadows of her mind. "I may not be able to save you next time."_

_ Samirah snorted, resting her hands on her hips before leaning to one side. "Oh really? Who says I needed it this time? I was doing just fine." It was a fun and flirty response—not that she was always that brave around people, but his presence had relaxed her a bit. "I do believe you are following me, Master Jedi." He laughed._

_ "No, no, you mistake me milady, I'm but only a Jedi. Not a master by any means. I assure you that you are safe from my footsteps unless the Force believes it necessary that I follow you." He added with a smile. She blushed in response at the idea of having her own guardian angel._

_ "And what if the Force believes it time we separate our ways? That our paths can no longer cross?" She asked and he laughed softly, looking towards the sky with such a relaxed posture that she couldn't help but admire him._

_ "Well, then I am glad to have been in your presence if only for such a short time. I'm sure there will come a time when I will see you again." He handed her something but in the dark, she couldn't see what it was. "Keep it. A token of my appreciation."_

_ "Appreciation? For what?" She asked with a smile but also, a look of confusion. "I've done nothing but get in trouble while I've been here."_

_ "For teaching me. You may not know what, but the Force showed you to me for a reason and I believe I have found that reason. Thank you and may the Force be with you, milady." He turned with a slight bow before leaving, his mission complete._

_ "Wait, but if we meet, I don't know what I should call you?" She hollered after him and he looked over his shoulder with a smile. He opened his mouth to say but… but she couldn't hear?_

No, that wasn't right. She had heard it. She remembered him after that night, she always had because he had made such an impression. Why couldn't she remember? Why? By the Force she would search and wrack her brain until she remembered! Forgetting that name was like forgetting how to walk—it took effort to do that and she had, by no means, any reason to forget it.

She looked to the end of her cot where her things were, reaching over to rummage through her things. When she had boarded the _Endar Spire_, she had left many things on her own ship_, _the _Silver Meridian._ What had he given her? Did she keep it? Why couldn't she remember it? What was it? Why did this bother her! All she had were questions, all she _ever_ had were questions! When would she get some blasted answers?

In her frustration, she threw a few of her things off the cot, a small cry escaping from between her lips. What was wrong with her? It was like she was forgetting pieces of her past as her future changed. She dropped against the cot her hands balled into fists over her eyes as she attempted to steady her mind. It would come back. She would remember. She just needed something to jog her memory. She would find a way. If it meant going back to Elrood, she would do it. As she pulled her hands from her face, she recognized a familiar bag that had almost become forgotten to her. A bag that had been absent during her time on Dantooine.

"Trask…" She reached out and pulled his bag closer to her, cradling it to her chest.

She wouldn't allow herself to forget him or to forget what he had done for her. If she forgot this, then she deserved no title as Jedi. She deserved nothing. She squeezed the bag close, feeling much like a child now. She was attached to a bag.

How silly and yet… it was so crucial to her.

* * *

The next day or two went by uneventfully. Canderous found that everyone was down and out about something. Mission and Bastila were fussing over Samirah and her change in mood. Most of the time Bastila and Samirah were in the middle of meditation and Mission would sit outside the room, going through her Pazaak cards and doing calculations. They spent most of their time, if not all, in meditations. Bastila had done some convincing and told the kid that meditations would ease the storm in her mind. Soldier-boy was holed up in the cockpit and would sometimes make it as far as the main room before retreating back to his pilot's seat. Canderous would often times find him pacing back and forth from the pilots chair to the hallway and back.

It was irritating really.

He knew the soldier boy wanted to talk to Samirah. Yeah, he screwed up. Seemed like that was a common feat amongst the Republic—without the Jedi, the Mandalorians would have won that war. It was a miracle the Republic had lasted so long. But that wasn't the point of his thoughts—the point was the Soldier boy should be used to his blunders, especially when dealing with the kid. Mission was right—he had some kind of emotion towards her. The little hustler—he called her such because of their games at Pazaak—assumed it was an infatuation but sometimes Canderous wondered if that's what it was. There was definitely something between them but the way their conversations typically went… he wasn't so sure it was a kind of _amour. _Especially if he was the reason she had begun to cry.

He made a face at the thought of Carth making the kid cry, downing another glass of gin. He had a feeling that he had walked into a mess of things when he decided to stick with this group. He better be able to rough someone up or something to release all this agitation that was building up inside the _Ebon Crew._ He didn't join to be a mediator or anything for them: that wasn't a part of the job description.

Zaalbar made a small roar that struck Canderous as perhaps a disagreeable kind of roar, possibly at the plate in front of him. He didn't understand _Wookiee_ but the tone was probably all he really wanted to hear.

He kept a careful eye on the walking carpet. That Wookiee was getting a bit tired of the synthesized food they had. Yeah, it wasn't the best stuff in the world and the kid had tried her best to fix it but it seemed like a little bit more work was in order to fix that stuff. Especially if the Wookiee wouldn't eat it.

Or it could be that he didn't like the fact that they were visiting his home world.

Canderous had noticed the antsy reactions that would emit from the Wookiee each time someone even mentioned the name _Kashyyyk. _It provoked some kind of reaction from him that obviously made him uncomfortable. He was hiding something. When someone hid something, there was generally a good reason behind it. Canderous had known a good wide variety of people who hid things for one reason or another and in his experience—it sometimes wasn't a good thing. Though, despite Canderous's best efforts to unravel the secrets the Wookiee had been hiding discreetly, Zaalbar was adamant that no one ask and no one know.

He wanted to keep his business to himself and Canderous respected that.

Canderous leaned back in his chair, holding his glass up his mouth and downing the contents. The class clinked against the table with a satisfying _clink._ The Wookiee in question was seated at a table on the other end of the room, sitting in a posture so rigid he made the Jedi seem flaccid. Actually, now that Canderous thought about it… the Wookiee was on edge this very moment and that usually meant bad things to come. You never wanted a Wookiee to become agitated and Canderous was sure it was because he felt the ship inch ever so close to his home world.

Apparently it wasn't so much a home world to the walking carpet now.

He frowned to himself, thinking about the crew as he poured another cup of Sullustan gin. He figured, it was never too early or too late to have a nice relaxing cup of sweet alcohol. He was sure that he needed it more than all the others. Yeah, they were having problems but he was the one who had to endure them. It wasn't like he couldn't hold his liquor either—all Mandalorians had an iron stomach. They drank Juma juice when they were in womb, damn it! Made them strong—he was certain he could out drink anybody on this side of the galaxy. Alcohol was nothing to a Mandalorian but a drink to pass the time and relax. He never got inebriated.

He poured a new cup of gin, just drinking to pass the time and to do something that didn't involve everyone else.

T3-M4 zoomed by, _beeping _and _booping_ his nonsense that didn't particularly interest Canderous. The tin can was spewing out sounds left and right as Canderous downed another glass of gin, trying to block out the utility droids raving madness. If there was anything he didn't need, it was a utility droid spewing its lunacy at him. Canderous preferred to be left to his thoughts if at all possible. He was having a nice drink before this tin can interrupted him.

"_Beep, deeeeeet-reet-dweet! Boop, deet-deet-reet!"_ It stopped in front of Canderous, moving back and forth, bumping into his foot as it whistled and chimed at the Mandalorian. Canderous frowned at him before kicking the droid away.

"Yeah, what do you want?" He asked in an aggravated tone and even as the droid attempted communication with him, he didn't have a clue as to what was being said. Canderous frowned as he poured another cup of gin. T3 whistled in a high pitch tone before slamming into his foot again, making him spill his gin across the table. He cursed before slamming his bottle against the table to give the droid the attention it demanded.

"Listen you trash compactor, I don't know what it is you want but you're not getting it from me. So if there's a point to your irritating noise, I insist that you—"The sound of footsteps rounding the corridor made him inwardly sigh as he heard his name being called.

"Canderous! Canderous! CANDEROUS! CAN—"

"Calm down, I'm in here!" He shouted, suddenly wishing he had something stronger than just gin. Mission hurried into the room, a frantic look on her face as she tried to control her breathing and get her words to work. "What's up now? And why is the bucket of bolts bothering me?"

"Its Sami! She and Bastila—They—It was—They're—come quick!" She couldn't get her words out and Canderous didn't need to hear anything else. He was out of his chair, pushing the droid aside as it whistled in response and followed them out of the main room.

They hurried to the Cargo Hold where Bastila and Samirah had previously been meditating. When they arrived, both Jedi were laying on the ground as if they had fallen unconscious. Samirah was on her side, her head resting on her shoulder and Canderous quickly dropped next to her to check her vitals while Mission checked Bastila. They were breathing, he noted, and didn't seem to have been harmed by anything…

"I was just outside, ya know? They were quiet and meditating one moment and the next, I hear them hitting the floor without warning. It was bazaar!" Mission explained as Bastila moaned and Samirah's head bobbed as she tried to open her eyes.

Canderous helped Samirah sit up as her hand instinctively went to her head. Her eyes fluttered open and Canderous noticed for the second time… something different. A flake of color that shifted in her eyes—an altercation in her irises. In seconds it was gone though and he thought to keep this to himself for now. Mission was helping Bastila up as she blinked her eyes several times before looking around to be sure of her surroundings.

Another vision.

Samirah and Bastila looked at each other, both knowing what had just happened. The Star Maps. They had seen a Star Map on Kashyyyk and it seemed the Force was trying to help them in their quest.

"You… saw it too." Samirah asked, just for clarification. Bastila nodded and spoke out loud to include their audience.

"Yes. The Force has given us a… a vision. Like the one we shared on Dantooine. The Force is strong with us both and seems to be aiding us." Canderous looked between both of them, unsure about what was going on. But he hardly got the chance to ask. The sound of footsteps was heard echoing from the corridor, followed by a familiar voice.

The voice of the pilot.

Canderous couldn't help but roll his eyes. Just one thing after the next, wasn't it?

"We're nearing Kashyyyk. Seems the ship is faster than I thought. We should be—"He was looking into each room, trying to find the rest of the crew when he finally looked into the cargo hold and paused. His eyes went first to Samirah, leaning against Canderous on the floor, his hand on her shoulder. He blinked several times before looking to Bastila to find her in a similar position with Mission. He scrunched his eyebrows together before crossing his arms in confusion.

"Did I miss something?" He inquired, looking back to Samirah who looked away from him. Somewhere, he felt a ping of shame when she refused to look at him. Canderous couldn't help the smirk it brought to his face at the Soldier boys misfortune.

Always a mess.

"Not really, we were just having a little talk. You were saying?" He prompted the pilot to continue with a smirk.

"We're arriving at Kashyyyk, should be docking in about an hour." He spoke in a monotone as he continued to assess the situation before him. Bastila promptly stood up, brushing off her robes before looking at Samirah and offering her hand. With the help of Canderous, Samirah came to her feet and was brushing herself off before smiling to Canderous and Mission.

"Thank you…" She said quietly before putting on a smile and looking to Carth and Bastila—mostly Bastila. "Shall we go then? I want to see Kashyyyk as we land if I may." Bastila nodded before gesturing for Carth to lead the way. Canderous and Mission just looked at each other for a moment before figuring it was safer not to follow.

If anything bad happened, neither one of them wanted to be caught in the cross fire.

"Seems things are going bad… huh?" Mission asked, seated on the floor. "Looks like Sami and Carth are at it again." Canderous just smirked as he stood up, cracking his neck.

"We shouldn't bother with them. They'll work it out on their own." Once he said the words, he looked at Mission as she raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled. "You're right. I forget who we're dealing with."

"Don't worry… I have a plan…" Mission said, a devilish grin taking over as she left the room. She was plotting in her head. An idea was presenting itself and she just needed the right conditions.

Canderous shook his head as he rubbed his neck.

"Definitely not in the job description…" He mused to himself with a smirk.

He needed something stronger than gin.

* * *

"Kashyyyk is a lush but simple and undeveloped world." Bastila spoke softly as she looked out on to the planet as they descended. "I would not have expected to find the alien technology of a Star Map here."

"It… looked like the Star Map was on the forest floor? But that can't be right, can it? Should we ask Zaalbar about it?" Samirah questioned, looking at Bastila before looking back to the planet. Bastila was shaking her head.

"The Wookiees of Kashyyyk make their home high among the Wroshyr branches; only their bravest warriors dare to descend into the forbidding depths of the forest. If the Star Map is located far beneath us on the planet's surface, as our vision seems to suggest, it is unlikely the Wookiees even know of its existence." She crossed her arms, cocking her head to the side. "No doubt things will become more clear once we discover the Star Map's location."

This made Samirah laugh, earning a confused look from Bastila.

"Of course it will… most of the work will already be done by then. Do you think Zaalbar will want to join us? He's likely to want to see his home world, don't you think?" She offered in a change of subject before becoming a subject of Bastila's rage. It worked.

"I assume so." Bastila mused, not really sure if the Wookiee wanted that or not. "He could prove useful none the less so we'll bring him with us." Samirah nodded, aware that the entirety of their conversation, they had practically ignored Carth.

Something she was sure he hated.

"I'll go get him and we can set off as soon as we dock." She finished and quickly walked away, not even giving Carth a glance. Bastila had started to follow when she noticed Carth doing the same. She stopped and gave him a quizzical look.

"And where are you going?" She asked and Carth returned the same look.

"To Kashyyyk?" She crossed her arms and shook her head.

"I think not." Carth just stared at her and blinked a few times, trying to make sure he was understanding what she was saying.

"You're serious. What am I supposed to do up here?" He protested and she just shrugged, turning to leave.

"I don't know Carth and I don't care. You may get royal treatment with the Republic but here it's a different story." She responded with a smile before walking away. Carth just blinked before smiling to himself. He deserved that one.

But that didn't mean he was staying behind.

* * *

"What do you mean someone's been in the emergency stash?" Samirah cried, rubbing her head. Zaalbar just shrugged as he roared.

"**Just that. Someone's been in it. I just thought I should bring it to your attention."** She rubbed her head and nodded. She would just add it to her ever growing list of things to check on when she got the chance.

Right now, wasn't that chance.

"Ok, well, just come with me for now Zaalbar. We'll deal with that later. We have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment." She rubbed her forehead before smiling up at him. "We're docking on Kashyyyk now and I wanted you to come with us."

Zaalbar immediately stood up straight and was quiet for a few moments. Even to Samirah, it was apparent that he was thinking hard about what she was proposing. After several minutes of silence and fidgeting on Samirah's part, unsure if she needed to speak up or wait for him to come to a conclusion—he nodded slowly.

"**If—If that is what you want, Samirah Alda. I will accompany you to the surface of my… of Kashyyyk." **He nodded his head again before turning to grab his gear and prepare.

Samirah watched him for several minutes until he was out of her sight. She tilted her head for a moment, not quite sure what she had missed. Zaalbar didn't seem too fond of being home. She imagined that if she had ever returned to Deralia, she would be ecstatic to see her home. She missed home and her family.

She felt this giant ping of pain in her chest at the thought. Her hands balled into fists again as she tried to quickly calm her thoughts. She remembered her family. She had one, she knew she did. She even remembered having a little sister and to make things better, she remembered her sister's name: Ashaiya. She was younger, only just a baby when Samirah had left home to pursue her new life. She remembered that.

But something about it bothered it.

What bothered her was that she only remembered their faces. And the way she was remembering things… it was off. She was forgetting childhood memories too. She could barely remember what her house looked like and that wasn't something you forgot was it? You don't forget those things. You don't forget important memories. That stuck with you, always present, always close. You can't possibly ever forget those things. It was the beating of your heart, it sustained you.

It scared her to think that her memories were become a clutter of things—they weren't as they used to be.

She would remember. With time, they would come back. Perhaps it was just the stress of their ever present mission. Maybe, when everything was over she would go back to Deralia if not but for the sole purpose of rekindling the fire of her memories—the fire she felt ever slowly dying. She wouldn't allow that. Her priority was finding this Star Map and unlocking the secrets of the Star Forge. Of Revan. Maybe that's all she needed to do and once that was done, she would remember.

_ Stay calm and focus. Do not let this trip you up, Samirah, _she chastised herself. _In time, it will come. In time._

_ One needs but to only trust in the Force. _

At least, that's what she was hoping.

* * *

**How was it? Did you guys like it? Please review and tell me what you thought, I love hearing from you guys and I try to respond (I'm actually getting ready to respond to all my reviewers from the last chapter after I post this one.)**

**I plan on having the next chapter be a bit more fast pace with more action! So do not fret! And my semester at college is nearly done until January so I should have more time to devote to this story and keep cranking them out for you! :D**

**If you have any questions or thoughts or ideas, feel free to say! If you want to ask about SW:ToR I will tell you as much as you want to know and i'll be sure to reply quickly and if you want, talk more about it on the next chapter. If you would like to buy your own Death Star Planetarium or even lightsaber pen (because they're just awesome!) visit. . I'm addicted to that website.**

**Again, let me know what you think and I'll *hopefully* update fairly soon and we can go find our favorite crazy old coot! :D Thanks for reading guys, I really appreciate it! Until next time, ado.**

**~~SS~~**


	25. Chapter 24: Hostility

**Disclaimer: I do not own KOTOR, Star Wars, the Franchise, George Lucas or the Actors... as cool as it would sound. Imagine having a Jedi guard your house 24-7... no one would ever dare to break in and steal your lightsaber because you'd be totally protected O.o *note to self... find a Jedi*...**

**Ok, so I'm so happy with myself for updating earlier than I normally do (and this is a rather long chapter as well. I made it to 21 pages this time so its a pretty decently long chapter and I hope it doesn't move too fast for you guys.) I tried to get as far as I could and incorporated as much as I could without dragging it along so hopefully I did a good job with that. So please enjoy the story and don't forget to visit my profile: I'm adding a new pole (putting it there now instead of later on in the story) so that you guys can decide what planet to visit after Kashyyyk! Figured I'd go ahead and put it up now so you have plenty of time to decide :)**

**I wont delay you any longer with my rambles now, so please enjoy the story!**

**Thanks!**

* * *

**Hostility **

"_The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent."_

Samirah pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes closed as she tried to remain calm while the Ithorian in front of her panicked. Zaalbar was in the process of roaring and causing a stir within the Czerka building and the Ithorian was pleading with her to calm him down. He feared for his life and figured Samirah was his best chance at survival.

"_**Please, control your beast."**_ He whimpered, enraging Zaalbar even more.

"I told you. He isn't my slave. He isn't my beast. He has a name." She stated firmly, agitated already by the planet. _"...and you wonder why he wants to break your legs off and beat you to death with them…"_ The thought made the Ithorian freeze as Zaalbar roared again, in an agreeable tone.

"_**No, please! Call him off!"**_ He cowered behind his arms and Samirah had to put a reassuring hand on Zaalbar, just to make sure he wouldn't do anything. If he killed the Ithorian, Samirah was sure it would cause problems but she couldn't help that he was angry and for good reason too.

Czerka had taken over. The planet was under their control—they had even renamed the planet G5-623 as the "numerical designation" or for the stockholders, they call it _Edean._ Pretty much, Czerka employees were crawling over Kashyyyk and were finding the healthiest Wookiee they could and selling them into slavery. According to Janos Wertka, the Czerka representative who was cowering in fear in front of her, there was an arrangement that had been made between the company and… she thought with a sigh… a Wookiee.

A Wookiee whose very name infuriated Zaalbar but he insisted on not talking about it yet. Said it was something he _wouldn't _talk about. Someone name _Chuundar_ didn't make Zaalbar too happy and he was about to take his anger out on this Czerka representative. Then again, it was his fault for continually referring to Zaalbar as a _beast _and a _slave._

A mistake that obviously was about to prove fatal.

"Samirah, restrain him. We can't afford any disruptions or being a target for these people either." Bastila whispered into Samirah's ear. Janos was now behind his desk, ducking below it as Zaalbar roared at the Ithorian angrily. The disrespect he had been shown should not be tolerated in his eyes. The disrespect for his people.

"Zaalbar, sweetie, would you mind calming down a bit? I can't have you killing the poor, miserable Ithorian just yet. We'll fix this." Samirah soothed, making Bastila roll her eyes before clamping her hand on her forehead.

Bastila didn't like it when she made promises like that.

"**Fine, but his disrespect for my people will only be tolerated by so much. It is barely tolerated now."** Zaalbar warned and Samirah made a mental note to remember that.

Ever since they had landed on Kashyyyk, Zaalbar had been on edge. They hadn't made it very far from the ship before Zaalbar decided it was time to make Samirah aware of the _situation._ Apparently he had been banished by his clan for fighting his brother and using his claws to do so. Something that was worse than taboo to his people and now he was not to be trusted. He was an outcast and had no hope of it ever being fixed. He was almost positive that he was most unwelcomed and Samirah wanted to see what she could do to fix it.

"Thank you, Janos, for your time. We'll be going now." She said brusquely and slightly agitated at the recent events. Janos nodded his head quickly and waited behind the desk as Samirah ushered Bastila and Zaalbar out the door.

The Wookiee roared, making the nearby Czerka employees stammer around, trying to avoid eye contact. He clenched his fists as they passed a cage with a Wookiee lying on the floor, tranquilized as they waited to ship him out. Zaalbar roared as Samirah patted his back once they stepped outside of the Czerka building and away from the peering eyes of Czerka.

"**It's not right. Things have changed. It has indeed been a long time since I've been away. Things have gotten worse."** He said, the sadness somehow transparent and easily heard in his voice.

"It's ok, we'll—" Zaalbar roared, slamming his fist into a nearby tree.

"**IT IS NOT OK! THEY—THEY ARE SELLING MY PEOPLE INTO SLAVERY AND IT IS DONE WITH CONSENT!"** He argued, trying to keep control of himself but so angry he wished he could bash into every one of these puny workers.

"Hey!" Samirah shouted at him, turning to face him directly. "Calm down. I understand that you're upset—it's a bad situation but we'll fix it. We'll get to the bottom of this and we'll set things straight, I promise. You have to trust me, though. Zaalbar, do you trust me?" She asked, pleading with him to place his trust in her.

He stared at her for what seemed like ages—neither one moving, neither one breaking eye contact. Czerka employees who passed by did so with unease and nervous glances in their direction. Finally, Zaalbar looked away and roared quietly to himself. It was an unintelligible roar before he answered her.

"**I do, Samirah Alda.****I would not have pledged a life debt to someone I did not trust. I must inform you of my doubt though… it is something not easily changed."**She nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Oh come on big Z, when is anything ever easy? It may not be trouble-free, but it's going to be worth it. Promise." He nodded before backing down, allowing Samirah to take the lead once again. "Thanks Zaalbar." She smiled at him as he just nodded in return, looking away.

"Well, if all the theatrics are done and over with, I'd like to get started on this Star Map. We can't waste much more time." Bastila said with her arms crossed. Samirah nodded.

"Well, Janos didn't know anything about a Star Map and I doubt Czerka knows of it. If it was on the forest floor, our best chance is probably in asking the Wookiees." Zaalbar roared to himself, not liking the idea but it was their only choice.

"Alright, it seems as if that's our only other option. If we're to get to the forest floor, the Wookiees will be the way to go." She surmised.

No one argued it. Zaalbar may be disagreeable about going anywhere near his people because of his banishment but after the first time… he hadn't voiced it. Zaalbar was going where Samirah did and right now, she was going to find them to find the Star Map. His duty was to make sure nothing bad happened to her in the process even if it meant going against his people's laws.

* * *

"I'm sorry, I can't help you sir." The lady said for the final time, agitated by Carth's questioning. "If you're looking for these people, I can't help you. I help a lot of people in my line of work and monitoring any individual is not in my job description. You want to find someone, go ask one of the patrol or someone else! So if you'll excuse me!" She nearly yelled before pushing past him.

Carth took a deep breath to prevent himself from lashing back at her. It wasn't her fault, he tried to remind himself. You would just think that it would be hard to miss two Jedi and a free roaming Wookiee in this place so either that woman was just being a pain in the neck for no reason or Samirah hadn't come this way. He rubbed his neck as he left the Czerka building and wondered around the encampment. Most of the employees minded their own business, going about their tasks and transporting Wookiees from one building to the next before loading them onto a ship, ready to sell them into slavery.

They were all tranquilized of course.

It was sickening, really. He never agreed with slavery but there was only so much the Republic could control. This was something that was beyond their influence as was much of the galaxy. That's how Czerka was able to get away with much of their business. If it was in his power he would change it but as it was, one could only do so much and right now he just needed to catch up with Samirah. Canderous had told him that they had already taken off by time he had finished his business with the welcoming party at the landing—running the ship ID, going over rules and regulations and the like. Canderous then took off without a word and Mission had mysteriously vanished along with T3-M4, leaving Carth to his own devices. Figures.

He reached a gate where two guards were stationed and decided he'd try his luck with them. He didn't even have to say a word before the older guard stopped him.

"All right, all right, that's far enough. Do you have business beyond this gate? It's a little bit dangerous and not that I doubt you're fighting… _capabilities_…_" _He said, eyeing the small blaster on Carth's belt with a smug smile, "We can't protect you. Our duty is to the employee's of Czerka Corporation. Not you." He clarified.

"Look, I'm just looking for my friend and I think she—" This made the old man roll his eyes, crossing his arms as he did so. The other guardsman snorted in response, going back to admiring his blaster rifle.

"Oh. You're friends with the Wookiee-lover. Yeah, they went this way. Just recently too. Had an attitude on her… the both of them did." He grumbled, making Carth smile for a moment at the thought of them giving him a hard time. Sounded like them. "If you want to go after them, don't let me stop you. Probably being eaten by Kinrath by now." He mused.

"Kinrath?" Carth questioned quickly, making the old man smile.

"Yeah, Kinrath. They're crawling all over the place now. Usually they're numbers are kept down but lately the Wookiees haven't been doing such a great job at it. Probably hoping one of us accidentally walk into them."

"Let me through." Carth demanded. The last thing he needed was them being eaten by Kinrath—did he doubt their fighting capabilities? No, of course not. He just didn't like taking chances on that matter. The old man just smiled before turning to open the gate for him.

"Good luck out there…" The old man spoke in a disinterested tone as he pushed the gate open. "I'd tell you how I hope you find your friend… but I really don't care what happens to them." He shrugged, backing out of the way.

Carth glared at him before walking down past him and leaving the encampment. The gates closed behind him with a loud click, the murmurs of the guards barely audible. He did, however, hear their malicious laughter and that didn't put him at ease. He hated Czerka. He really did. The walkways were littered with broken branches and—was that blood? It had to be, there were slashes of blood across the walk way, some old, some still fresh. He took a few hesitant steps down the walkway, feeling the ominous breeze that shifted the Wroshyr branches. The sky was gloomy, showing that the time of day was on the cusp of night time… or perhaps that was just the constant shade that the branches presented him with.

Three Czerka employees were passing him by, heading back to the encampment, the one in charge obvious to him as he muttered to his lackeys behind him.

"Neither one of you will say a word when we return. Let me do the talking before we request our transfer." He stated harshly, making them wince at his stern voice. They paid Carth no mind as they kept walking.

"Are you sure? Surely that Jedi—"The captain shot him an angry glare, silencing him.

"Not. Another. Word." They nodded, they're quiet muttering now beyond Carth's ears.

He assumed that by _Jedi_, they were referring to Samirah. The only other possibility would be that another Jedi was on Kashyyyk but Carth highly doubted that. He didn't see very many Jedi outside of their enclaves very often, not unless they were Dark Jedi.

He hadn't walked far before he found a source of the blood. A broken Wookiee was laid out before him, lifeless and slaughtered. He couldn't suppress his feeling of horror at the image. It was ruthlessly killed, so close to the encampment as well. Footprints in the blood went in several directions—one of which led back to the encampment and was still fresh before slowly dissipating. He was willing to bet those Czerka patrolmen were the cause of this and that idea made him sick. That's what the talk about transfers was. They killed a Wookiee. It's a wonder Zaalbar didn't destroy them where they stood.

Then again, he was sure Samirah wouldn't allow it.

He tried to look away as he kept walking, his blaster on hand and ready to use in the event he came across something that wanted a fight. Mostly what he came across were dead Kinrath, either shot or dead from lightsaber wounds. He was sure if he followed the trail, he'd eventually run into Samirah and the others. He hurried down the walkway, trying to make sure it wasn't too late to catch up with them or to help out if the moment arose.

His feet pounded against the wooden floor of the walkway as he hurried, the sound drowned out by the native creatures in the forest—their loud cries covering his stomping feet. He didn't have time for tact. If what the guard said was true, Samirah could find herself walking into a nest of Kinrath and he wanted to make sure that didn't happen. Not if he could help it. She may be a Jedi but even Jedi had limits.

A sound further down the walkway caught his attention. It sounded like voices, conversing. A man? The conversation didn't last long before he saw a glow—the glow of a lightsaber being ignited. He hurried as the sound of lightsabers clashed, not liking the image it brought to his head. When he rounded the corner he came to a halt when he found that they were facing off against three Dark Jedi. Zaalbar was roaring as he tried to shoot from afar, Bastila fighting one and Samirah fighting another. Her attention was focused on her Dark Jedi while she occasionally would try and force push him away to help defend Zaalbar from the third.

She seemed weary already.

Bastila thrusted her lightsaber through the abdomen of her opponent, not even waiting for the body to fall before spinning and sending a force wave at one of the other two. It caught one who tumbled and rolled into a nearby Wroshyr tree, struggling to get back up again. Bastila was upon him in seconds as Zaalbar shot at him from afar, aware that his bowcaster did barely a thing against a lightsaber in close combat. Samirah struggled with her opponent on the other hand. Their weapons clashed, sparks flying with each contact, the Dark Jedi laughing as they did so. Samirah grunted when their weapons locked and it became a battle of strength.

"Give in…" The Dark Jedi cooed, a sinister smile decorating his face as he pushed, seemingly winning against Samirah. She was pushed down to her knee, the other still up as she tried to not give him too much ground. "Lord Malak will see you dead, one way… or another…" He laughed.

Bastila and the other Dark Jedi were still playing whack a mole as he dodged each blow she attempted, jumping around like a Cracian Thumper. She cried out in frustration when she attempted another blow, missing as he twisted to the side and jabbing at her with his lightsaber. It was a game of hit or miss—both of them missing. Bastila, finally irritated, used her free hand to land a delicate blow on his chest and shot a burst of the Force. He flew back and not giving him the chance to recover, she leapt over him and made a quick, clean swipe through his chest. He cried out for only a moment before Zaalbar blasted him several times in the chest.

He wanted to be certain.

Samirah and the remaining Dark Jedi were still pushing at one another. The Dark Jedi cackled as his finger tips sparked with what could only be sparks of lightning. As he pushed, nearly ready to release his attack, Samirah slid her lightsaber free and rolled to side just as he released his attack. With her off-hand, she reached out for the lightsaber of a fallen Dark Jedi and called it to her hand. Just as it reached her hand, the Dark Jedi was upon her with his off-hand charged with more lightning produced through the Force. She guarded herself from his lightsaber with her own in one hand and caught the lighting in the blade of the other lightsaber. She disengaged her lightsaber from his, with a quick push of her blade and with just as much speed, brought it down against the Dark Jedi while he tried to rebalance himself. He cried out in pain before crumpling to the ground, Samirah panting from the exertion.

She dropped the spare blade, falling into a sitting position to take a breather. Bastila walked over to her, her breathing also ragged, before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" She asked, Samirah nodding in response. She attempted a tired smile, laughing in between breaths.

"Yeah, course I am! Nothing beats being attacked by Dark Jedi whose only purpose is to make sure you're dead. I guess we can take this as an indication that Malak is on to us?" She asked, looking at Bastila for confirmation.

"It would seem—"A cry from above hardly gave them any time to react as several Kinrath descended upon them. One had landed mere inches away from Samirah, its legs immediately out in mid attack, its poisonous mouth dripping with venom and aimed at Samirah. She froze for a moment from shock as Bastila tried to quickly attack, igniting her lightsaber to fight when a blaster sounded several times. The Kinrath screamed before falling in a heap beside Samirah.

Bastila didn't hesitate before fighting the others, quickly dispatching them with the help of Zaalbar and—as it would turn out—Carth. By time Samirah grabbed her lightsaber, the Kinrath were dead and Bastila was glaring at Carth.

"I thought we told you to wait on the _Ebon Hawk._" She hissed, annoyed that he hadn't listened. He merely shrugged it off, looking quickly at Samirah who was now frowning as she poked the dead Kinrath with the hilt of her lightsaber.

"… _I hate these things… four legged creatures with poisonous mouths. "_ She muttered, her frown deepening. She looked at Bastila who was now frowning at her in return. "Ever seen an energy spider? Creepiest things you'll ever see. Pray you never see one. These are like a similar version—and I hate spiders!" She declared.

"You what?" Carth and Bastila asked at the same time, shooting each other a glare before looking back at Samirah. She just nodded, oblivious to their guest.

"I don't like thunder and I don't like spiders. Kinrath are close enough to spiders—they might as well be their bloody cousin… energy spiders could eat you in moments, their webs holding you in place without any chance of ever moving again…" She finished, kicking the carcass away with a cringe. The venom was leaking from its mouth, the poison that had moments ago been too close to her. Then something clicked in to place, her mind catching up.

"Carth? What are you doing here?" She said, her head snapping up to gape at him.

Bastila rolled her eyes at Samirah's attention to detail. At the rate they were going, they were never going to find the Star Maps.

"Looking for you guys. I thought you could use an extra hand." Samirah glanced at Zaalbar who was trying his best not to pay attention to them. He was admiring the Wroshyr trees, his ears listening for any signs of intruders. He didn't seem to want to involve himself with them but Samirah wanted to at least know that he was alright. He looked like he was uncomfortable with the confrontations that occasionally happened between Carth and Samirah.

She shook her head at Carth.

"Go back." When Carth didn't move, she turned around. "Go back to the ship Carth. We're fine." She was checking the bodies of the Dark Jedi for anything of use, ignoring Carth. She took their lightsabers, credits and whatever seemed like it could be beneficial; placing them in her pack—she was sure she could find a good use for them.

"Go back? Are you serious?" He complained, her arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes, go back." She said, standing and turning to look at him. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here. Or do you just not trust me enough to get the job done?" She argued. Bastila stepped up to her and put a hand on her shoulder, leaning in to talk quietly with her.

"Samirah, this isn't the time or the place." She chided, giving Samirah a stern look. Samirah looked down and nodded. Before she could respond and try to tell Carth to go back in a civilized tone, they were interrupted by a roar from behind them.

They all spun around to find Zaalbar and another Wookiee roaring at each other, a confrontation that looked like it would end badly.

"**You are trespassing in the domain of Chuundar, Chieftain and leader!" **The Wookiee roared, his words directed at them all but his eyes on Zaalbar who stood up tall.

"**Stand aside! This Human is with me and I want access to the home of my people!"** The Wookiee growled at Zaalbar, leaning forward at him as he tried to impose fear.

"**You have **_**no**_** rights here, mad-claw! This human should not have brought this taint upon our land! You must answer to Chuundar!"** He bellowed as Samirah hurried over to Zaalbar's side, Carth now forgotten. Zaalbar had become her priority now.

"Taint? What taint? If it's Czerka you're talking about, I had no part—"The Wookiee growled at her, making her stumble back as he screamed at her angrily. Zaalbar put himself between Samirah and the other Wookiee, growling back. He didn't like her being threatened.

"**He speaks of me, Samirah Alda… I am the taint that you have brought back. Back down! Leave this human be!" **He roared but the guard wouldn't have it. He shook his weapon in the air as his eyes bore holes into Zaalbar.

"**Shut up!" **He angrily yelled. Clearly, Zaalbar was no longer welcomed home. He had yet to do anything and they were already angry by his mere presence among them. Angry that he even stepped foot on Kashyyyk. "**You are nameless with dishonor, mad-claw! Yours is a foulness that disgusts me! We shall talk no more of this! You and the outcast mad-claw will be taken to Chuundar now!" **This time, he turned to stare at Samirah.

They hardly had a chance to say a word before several more Wookiee guards dropped down next to them, two of which grabbed Zaalbar. He hardly resisted but his eyes followed Samirah as she, along with Carth and Bastila, were surrounded by a group of guards. Their weapons pointed at them as they were surrounded, unable to flee and too far outnumbered to hope for an escape plan. They were given no choice before being pushed forward and herded away to where the village was. Samirah kept her hand closed to her lightsaber, hoping this wouldn't lead to a fight but preparing for it if need be. She didn't want to harm anyone and she definitely didn't want to anyone of them to be harmed—especially Zaalbar. She looked over at him and felt a wave a sympathy wash over her to see his distressed face. His eyes were darting around, examining the surrounding before his eyes rested on Samirah.

He wasn't happy.

He was tense and angry.

He was worried.

That troubled Samirah the most.

* * *

The _meeting_ went as poorly as any could get. Zaalbar was bound in chains, guarded by other Wookiees to ensure they had no trouble from him. He was defeated, utterly at their mercy unless Samirah did as she was asked.

"You can't be serious, please, be reasonable!" She protested but the high chieftain of the Rwookrrorro village stood his ground. Chuundar. The brother of Zaalbar. His face was hard and set as he eyed Samirah with disdain.

"**The Chieftain has spoken. I care not for what you want or for what will make things easier for you. No more words, outsider." **He roared. "**I've given my orders. I can't hold you here, but Zaalbar will stay until you kill the mad-claw in the Shadowlands. Now leave! You're presence here is an eyesore."** He flicked his wrist and immediately the guards were upon them yet again.

They seized Samirah by the arms before she could attempt to fight back and argue with Chuundar about the release of Zaalbar. She, along with Carth and Bastila, were dragged away from the hut as Zaalbar was left to roar for their release. Samirah tried to jerk away but when the Wookiees firm hold of her forearm tightened she flinched and realized that it was futile.

They were being forced to abandon Zaalbar.

"Don't worry Big Z! We'll be back, I promise!" She screamed before they were literally tossed out from the hut, collapsing on the wooden floor outside. The Wookiees took up their post around the hut, one of which staring straight at them with an angry expression.

"**Go northwest and follow the platform to the south and then the east. Gorwooken awaits you and will lower you to the forest floor—thought I am disgusted at the idea of an outsider running freely, it is the will of Chuundar. Leave our sights and I hope you do not return."**He snarled, making Samirah flinch.

They weren't welcomed.

Carth helped Samirah up, her attention too focused on the Wookiees to notice who it was that was helping her. He was pretty sure that if she realized who was holding on to her arms now, that she would begin a tirade of how he should leave and that they were fine without him. He needed to talk to her about that, he needed to straighten things out but he had this gut feeling that he shouldn't say a word to her. Not yet at least.

"At least we've gained access to the forest floor…" Bastila attempted to find the lighter side of it but couldn't help but feel Samirah's worry without the help of the bond. "It is, however, a horrible time for the Chieftain to hold our Wookiee friend. It would be most helpful if we were allowed his guidance while exploring." Samirah shook her head, finally pulling her eyes away from the Wookiee guard who was now ignoring her.

"You're telling me… I don't like leaving Zaalbar in there; I don't like him being held a prisoner. If Mission ever found out…." They all went silent at the idea of Mission trying to fight through the entire village to reach Zaalbar. If at all possible, she couldn't be allowed to know.

"It seems all that's left to do is get down there and take care of what needs to be done before we can free him." Carth suggested. Samirah nodded before she blinked quickly as the realization hit her… again. She turned to look at him, opened her mouth to remark before clamping it shut.

Bastila and Carth both watched as several emotions crossed her face and the few times that she opened her mouth to say something before closing it and shaking her head. After a moment more, she pinched the bridge of her nose again, turned and walked away, leaving Carth and Bastila to follow after her. The two quietly followed, leaving space between them and Samirah so that she couldn't hear their hushed whispers—not that she was paying them any mind since she was forcing her mind to think about other things.

"_Carth, you shouldn't be here…"_ Bastila whispered, a firm frown set into place. Carth just shook his head.

"_What would you have me do on the ship? I can't just let you guys go by yourselves either, it's dangerous out here—_"Bastila just quietly laughed in disbelief.

"_You think _we_ need help? Carth, I don't think you remember but we _are_ Jedi and we are_ very_ capable of handling ourselves, don't you think?" _She argued. He looked away, trying not to pay her any attention as they neared the guard who would let them out onto the great walkway.

He did so with a smug smile, happy to get them out of his village and they were fairly sure he would try to keep them out if at all possible. Samirah walked past him, trying desperately to keep her thoughts organized. She knew Carth and Bastila were whispering to themselves behind her but she really didn't care much to listen in on what they were saying. Her mind was already preoccupied with the things at hand: The star map, Zaalbar, Kashyyyk, Carth—her mind felt so overwhelmed that it was taking considerable strength not to just whip the Force out like a weapon and smash everything in sight. Destroy a house if it would relieve her of this tension but she already knew that she could not give way to her stress.

She had to remain disciplined. She could feel Bastila's eyes on her, watching her carefully as she felt Samirah's tense body through the force. It was like a crackling spark of lightning, only coming out in quick spurts but retreating as she fought to keep it under control. While they had meditated on the ship, Bastila had told her that she was here to help, that if Samirah required help, Bastila would offer what little guidance she could. Bastila's words still echoed through her head like a constant hum.

_I only hope I will have the wisdom to help you through the dark times…_

Samirah hoped so too.

"**Outsider, leave now before I am forced to report an accident!" **Samirah's feet stopped as she finally paid attention to her surroundings. They had weaved through the walkway, quietly and quickly following the directions that were so roughly given to them. When Samirah looked up, she saw a familiar person standing in front of them.

"And I said I don't care what you say, I'm—"

"Canderous?" Samirah questioned as the Mandalorian turned around. His mouth tugged up in one corner, revealing his infamous smirk before crossing his arms.

"There you are, kid." The Wookiee behind him roared in frustration.

"**Yes. Take him with you. Rid me of his insistent pestering before he becomes food for the Kinrath!"** The guard cried, waving Canderous off as he walked away. "**I have no time to deal with his insistent questioning and impulsiveness. You want to go the Shadowlands? Fine. But take this senseless outsider with you and perhaps he can be your **_**bargaining **_**chip with the creatures. Gorwooken waits for you."**

He walked away, perhaps going elsewhere to guard so that Canderous didn't pester him anymore. Samirah just raised a suspicious eyebrow at him as he shrugged.

"The fur ball was already on edge when I got here. I caused him no more trouble than I cause soldier boy there." He said with a smug grin at Carth.

"…well that explains everything then…" Carth muttered. Samirah chose to ignore his comment with a sigh. She didn't feel like dealing with this.

"Does nobody want to stay on the ship or something?" She pinched the bridge of her nose again, attempting to fight off her stress and closing her eyes briefly before a thought occurred to her. "Wait. You didn't leave Mission alone did you?" She said, looking at him with a fearful expression. She wouldn't be able to deal with things if Mission found out about Zaalbar.

Canderous shook his head.

"She stayed behind to play Pazaak with that bucket of bolts. That droid seems to give her a challenge whenever they play so she opted to try and beat him." He explained, letting Samirah breathe out a sigh of relief. If she had found out about Zaalbar…

"Speaking of Wookiees, where's ours? Wasn't he with you instead of soldier boy?" This only caused Samirah to sigh again. This was going to be a long trip.

"_Was, _being the key word. Come on."

As they walked down the pathway, she explained to Canderous the situation as Bastila and Carth listened on the way. The situation didn't seem to faze him but he did express his appreciation for the way Chuundar did things. A warrior who made the enemy work hard to earn their rights among his people—that was something Canderous could appreciate. Samirah, on the other hand, didn't really care for it at all. It was putting Zaalbar at risk and in an unpleasant situation that Samirah would very much like to fix and fix quickly.

She could only pray that the Force would protect him and guide her to her goal as swiftly as it could.

Or, you know, guide her to a group of angry Wookiees too.

Because that made everything better.

They had just rounded a corner to find a few Wookiees, angrily hacking at Kinrath. She thought about intervening but thought twice about it when she figured their angry fight could be easily turned in her direction. So far, she hadn't met any Wookiees that were even slightly happy to see. Forget happy, they could barely tolerate her presence at all and she wanted to try to placate them as much as possible. As soon as the last Kinrath was struck down, the Wookiees charged forward except for one. He had noticed their gazing eyes and spun around on them, his weapon raised and poised for attack.

"**What do you want, outsider? I won't let you follow us on our hunt. Chorrawl is not here for your amusement!" **He shouted. Samirah flinched, her hand twitching for her lightsaber but trying not to show that she was ready to fight. She was tired of fighting them—verbally or physically.

"I don't mean you any harm—I'm just looking to do what I can." The Wookiee snarled in response.

"**Feh! I'll believe that when our planet is free of you. Your kind is here only to take or destroy. I won't be your trophy, dead or as a slave. Leave me. You have no place here." **Samirah dropped her hand away from her waist, rubbing her face with her other hand instead.

"All I want to do is find the star map and I guess this crazy Wookiee in the Shadowlands and I'll be gone. I won't bother your people anymore, I just need to finish this task. I promise that I'm no enemy of yours." The Wookiee dropped his hands, lowering his stance as he gave her a puzzled expression.

**"The only crazed creature I know of is one of your kind, outsider, not mine." **Samirah looked at him with her eyebrows knitted. One of her kind? "**We see him from time to time. We leave him alone. He has our respect because he has braved the lands alone. Sometimes he helps lone travelers. He is crazy**, **though. Our finest warriors hunt the Shadowlands in groups, yet he lives there alone. Avoid him. Madness is to be feared."**

This peaked Samirah's interest. A crazy man lived in the Shadowlands? He helps lone travelers? Crazy or not, he may know about the star map and if that meant deciphering riddles, then decipher them she would do. She would accept any help right now; any help, in any form.

"How long has he been down there?" She asked the Wookiee curiously. He seemed irritated to find that he had intrigued her by any amount.

"**Many years. It is impossible to know how many. A decade? Two? Perhaps he can answer your questions. Or kill you." **When she frowned, the Wookiee gave what she suspected was a smile and a happy little grumble at the thought.

A crazy man who lived among the toughest of Wookiees sounded like a potential hazard. She didn't like the idea of having to confront anyone who would attack on sight but the chance that he might have answers was too good to pass up.

"If he has been there for years…" Bastila mused, her mind following the same track that Samirah's was.

"Are you out of your mind? He just said that he was crazy and dangerous." Carth pointed out making Canderous grunt. Bastila turned to look at Carth, her expression serious rather than irritated at his constant concern for their safety.

"Perhaps not as crazy as he would have the Wookiees believe. Whatever his state of mind though, he could prove useful in finding the star map." Samirah nodded and agreed.

"Thank you, Chorrawl. It seems we have yet another task to complete." She said the last part more to herself but never the less, the Wookiee was grateful to be rid of her questions.

"**Yes, go, and don't expect a friendly welcome if you return. This world is my home, not yours."** He snarled before walking away to chase after the rest of his hunting party who had already cleared the way for them. He cared not for the affairs of the humans so long as they stayed out of his way.

Obviously, that wasn't their intention but it did prove useful to Samirah and the rest of them. They walked carefully down the walkway, making sure that nothing was waiting to surprise them—no more Dark Jedi would be a pleasing thought to Samirah. How they had managed to find them on Kashyyyk was still a wonder to Samirah. Malak had to be hot on their heels if he knew where they were going. That thought troubled Samirah.

The distance left was short as they neared the basket that would lower them down to the Shadowlands. Samirah could see what looked like a Wookiee, pacing back and forth, the look of aggravation clear in his stance and posture. The moment he noticed their presence, he immediately gave them what could only be described as a Wookiee version of a scowl. He kept that scowl on his face as they neared.

**"Chuundar has commanded that I grant you access to the Shadowlands. Gorwooken is what I am called. Walk with care, outsiders… Only our bravest return from these lands. Your soft feet are a barely tolerated insult."** He squeezed his hands into tight balls, hating the very idea of allowing them to the floor of his planet. Samirah felt a wave of sympathy and exhaustion. The Czerka Corporation were just making things worse here—for everyone. She was just mentally tired.

"I understand. If you wouldn't care to permit it... I wanted to ask who else was down there?" She said quietly but that seemed to only aggravate Gorwooken more.

"**Chuundar said nothing about answering your questions. A few like you are in the Shadowlands, given permission by Chuundar. I don't know why. Only Wookiees should be allowed. The journeys of my people, however, are very personal. I won't speak of them to an outsider." **Samirah nodded, not wanting to push him too far over the edge.

"Then I'll only ask about the ones like me if you wish not to speak of them. I will not force it from you." She offered and this seemed to appease him.

"**You ask very respectfully. Outsiders never do that. I suppose I can mention some. Rorworr was latest to enter but has not returned for several day. He was strong and able so it would be a surprise if he has perished. Chuundar believes one of us is below—mad, crazed, killing all but I do not know. Chuundar also allows those of the Czerka to move in the Shadowlands. They kill much."** He paused for a moment, letting his thoughts formulate for a moment before continuing.

"**And there is another, but he has earned our respect. He does not disturb our lives or customs. And he gets angry like a Wookiee sometimes." **Samirah's was taken back for a second at the thought of a human being compared to a Wookiee. She figured he had to be talking about the crazy man that was mentioned earlier. Gorwooken's face scrunched up for a moment before roaring in distaste. "**Urgh… his name hurts my tongue. He had lived alone in the Shadowlands for many years now… I cannot recall how long but long enough to know it."** He finished.

Samirah nodded, looking at the basket as she rubbed her hands together in self-comfort. She felt something tingling from the Shadowlands and the thought of entering it didn't seem so appealing anymore. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back now.

"Gorwooken, if you are ready—I'd like to enter the Shadowlands now." The Wookiee nodded, moving to the basket to open the gate for them.

The basket was a simple woken platform with four posts on the ends that shed a faint light with a wooden bar running across the back to provide support. An arch ran from the middle of one side to the other which is what was held by the rope that lowered them down. It seemed to run on a pulley system; somewhere, something was regulating the rope and helping the mechanism work when it was required. They all entered the basket quietly before Gorwooken closed the gate and looked at them all.

"**The descent is long. Be still, or we will attract… unwelcome visitors." **He warned. When no one answered him, he took that as their acknowledgement to their request before beginning the descent down.

The basket started with a shake, unbalancing everyone for a moment before the descent began, smoothly moving down the length of the trees. The lights on the walkway, slowly disappearing, as they were lowered into the depths far below the Wookiee Village and massive walkway. For a while, it was a comfortable silence as Samirah gazed up to watch the lights disappear, the darkness engulfing them but it felt peaceful for a moment. Samirah felt this peace wash over her and she managed a small smile as her lips separated to gape. It wasn't a spooky darkness, the little bit of light that trickled down through the leaves provided enough light to faintly see their surroundings. Whatever had made her fear the basket had slowly dissipated, being replaced with a tranquility.

She'd been to Kashyyyk once or twice before on her travels, meeting contacts at the Czerka docking but she had never ventured past the docks. She knew the tension between the Wookiees and any outsiders was bad and had been advised several times not to go beyond the docks. She'd always taken them at their word, thinking she had no reason to stay any longer. She wanted to help, but she was only a scout and she doubted any one person could end a struggle between two opposing groups. What could she do?

The smell of the rainforest soothed her, as did the sound of the breeze that drifted past them, rustling the leaves that adorned the long branches.

Gorwooken hadn't been kidding. The descent was long but far from tedious; it was just quiet and dark—mysterious even. Not very many people ever got to be lowered into the depths of Kashyyyk, the Wookiees rarely allowed such things. At least, that was the impression Samirah got but then she quickly realized that it couldn't be true. The star map was down there. Someone had to have put it there and Revan had to have discovered it. Not to mention the man the Wookiees spoke of who was still down there, better left alone than to be confronted. So why had so many outsiders been allowed before? Are they the reason none are allowed now?

Curious.

The descent felt like it was taking hours but perhaps it had only been several minutes. Carth and Canderous tried to stay far apart but they could almost hear each other's breathing. Canderous may not have anything against Carth but Carth seemed to not be too fond of the Mandalorian and his far but close proximity. No length would be great enough for him. Bastila was taking in the calming air, trying to block out the tension that was easily felt from the two men that traveled with them. She almost wished Samirah had been more forceful with Carth and made him return back to the ship. He really didn't have a part here and she felt that he was only currently presenting problems for Samirah.

Their companions were a mess of emotions—emotions that would mingle and taint them all if they weren't careful. The Force would draw from their emotions and that influence could affect Samirah and Bastila if they were not careful.

The basket gave way to another shake—more forceful than the first that had set the basket in motion, knocking everyone from their thoughts as they each grabbed for a railing to prevent themselves from falling. Gorwooken growled to himself as he inspected the mechanism up top, trying to see the unforeseen problem in their travels.

"Gorwooken?" Samirah started, puzzled and slightly worried at their sudden stop. She moved from the railing, stopping a few inches away from the Wookiee who seemed suddenly aggravated again as he climbed up to inspect the top of the basket. Something was off.

"**Something… something stopped the basket."** He pondered out loud before the basket tipped and wobbled, throwing the passengers to the floor. Samirah was thrown back and rolled down to the open edge where there was nothing to stop her from falling through the railing.

She gasped before she managed to grab a post in one of the corners, hugging it tightly as the basket continued to tip as if something was throwing it off balance. The way the basket was made, any small thing could set it off balance—but it had to be deliberate. The rope was struggling to keep moving, moving back and forth like a saw as the mechanism tried to continue its function but being thwarted. The struggle was causing the basket to shift and shake when it usually was as still as air. Carth and Canderous were both holding on to posts on the other side of the basket, nowhere near Samirah as her feet dangled from the basket away from them. They both watched her intensely as Bastila wrapped an arm around the wooden railing that kept her secure and held her hand out to Samirah. With concentration, she tugged and yanked Samirah with the Force and back on to the platform, her body landing in the middle with a thud.

With nothing to grab onto, she pulled her lightsaber out and with a quick motion—ignited it and pierced the floor with it to keep her from sliding left and right or worse, right off the platform. She held with both hands tightly on the hilt of her lightsaber, the basket at a forty-five degree angle. The rope that had been hooked at one of the corners that kept the basket level, snapped, which kept the basket at an angle. Gorwooken growled in frustration as he tried to keep the rest of the basket from snapping. Samirah whimpered quietly. She had no idea how close to the floor they were or if they were even close at all. The basket stuttered and shook them again, Gorwooken fastened tightly to the top as he tried to prevent the basket from plunging them to their deaths. He was working to fix the kink in the rope. He quickly found the problem and grumbled as he repaired it. Samirah felt as her lightsaber moved—tilted—and sliding slowly through the wooden floor of the basket as it wobbled loosely in the air.

"**It seems to be stuck… this has never happened before."** Gorwooken responded, an attempt to ease their minds but to no avail. It was sabotage. His people would never do such a thing but he knew who would and that infuriated him. Samirah's blade moved again and her eyes flew up to where Gorwooken spoke.

"If at all possible… It would be very much appreciated… if you could hurry to fix it… soon…" She spoke in a small voice, her uneasy smile strained as she tried to not let show how tense she felt as her weapon moved. Gorwooken seemed oblivious to her anxiety as he just growled in response.

The basket jerked again as it was being forced to try and reposition itself to Gorwooken's command. It shuttered as he tried to pull the snag that was causing the unbalance in the platform and move to restore the broken rope. Once that was repaired he could try to reposition the basket as it was meant to be—lucky that the basket had excess rope. Samirah gripped the hilt of her lightsaber, her feet dangling as she tried to get some traction on the soles of her shoes. All she got from her efforts were her feet sliding down and getting her nowhere as her lightsaber tilted again. The movement was only easing the lightsaber out more.

Gorwooken fastened the rope on the corner and climbed back through the basket to find the mechanism that started and stopped the decent, ready to reposition the basket if everything was in place.

"Samirah…" Bastila warned, causing everyone's eyes to move to her lightsaber. Samirah looked up to see the blade sputter and spit before it disengaged all together, shutting off. Her body immediately sliding down the length of the basket and her lightsaber slipping from her hands as she frantically tried to grab something to hold on too.

She panicked as her hands felt nothing except for the few splinters that slid into her palms and fingers. She felt as her feet left the platform, her waist and finally her torso before her hands caught the ledge of it, leaving her dangling by the mere tips of her fingers. A small cry escaped her lips at the pain of forcing her fingers to hold her up as she griped the edge as tightly as she was able, her lightsaber rolling right past her and falling off the platform. Instead of panicking about her lightsaber falling, she listened intently to see if she could hear the sound of its impact—anything that would reveal how much further they had left.

She heard nothing.

"H-hold on!" Bastila cried, the creaking of wood as Gorwooken fixed the last broken section of the basket in a final attempt to restore it to its former glory. The baskets fallen end was abruptly forced upright as it was repositioned in a harsh manner. In doing so, lifting Samirah's end and snapping it back into place with a powerful bounce—jolting her enough to force her to let go.

She felt as her hands were forced off and her fingers brushing against the edge of the basket, unable to catch it. Her stomach felt like it had leapt up into her throat as that weightless feeling hit her but it was far from reassuring. Her eyes widened as she uselessly clawed at the air hoping that her hands could find something but she only felt the air.

"Samirah!" She wasn't sure who yelled, perhaps it was everyone or just her own mind but it was more than likely the last thing she would hear. Her voice had frozen, unable to release a scream that would reach anyone's ears. So she fell silently, fear gripping her body.

"Samirah!" The moment Bastila saw her disappear, she let go of the post and hurried to the edge. She dove on to her stomach and threw her hand out hoping that maybe, just maybe Samirah wasn't too far away to see it or even reach it—maybe she could move quickly enough to her but when Bastila looked over the edge, she saw no one. She shook her head, searching the force through the bond.

_Samirah… Samirah... Answer me! _

It went quiet. She didn't feel anything through the force, it was silent—numb.

The basket started again with a slight lurch before the Wookiee dropped down again and surveyed the platform. When he noticed Samirah's absence, he grumbled something to himself but no one paid him any attention. Canderous and Carth just stared with wide eyes at the spot where she used to be… the spot where she fell. There was silence.

"No…" Carth managed to say, barely above a whisper. Canderous' face remained neutral, his jaw firm as he tried to not think of what the others were thinking. "No, that didn't happen. Bastila, you can still feel her right?"

Bastila moved into a seated position, her legs tucked to the side of her as her hand rested in her lap. Her back was facing the two men but she refused to look at them, to even speak. She was still searching the force. She had to be there. This wasn't what was supposed to happen, it couldn't. She was essential, she was needed, she was wanted—she was important to them. The Force would not just simply take her away from them. The Force could not let her go like that. It couldn't.

"Bastila!" Carth demanded and she spun her head around to glare at him, her eyes tinged a red color but no tears. Jedi never cried. That was a part of the rules.

"I'm looking! Do not turn your anger on _me,_ Carth. I-I'm looking, I just… I just can't find her…!" She replied furiously.

"She _has_ to be there!" He shot back, his hands balled into tight fists. Gorwooken remained silent, not bothering to involve himself in human affairs. Respectful she may have been but one less human in the world didn't seem like such a problem to him.

"The kid wouldn't die that easily…" Canderous responded with an absolute certainty to annoyed Carth. How would he know? "Give the kid more credit than that, she's not one to give up without a fight." Carth looked away, everyone remaining silent as the basket continued its decent for a few minutes more before it slowed down.

The moment they all felt the deceleration, they were scanning the area, the only light illuminating the area being the small lit lanterns and the patches of moonlight that shone through. Bastila kept her mind opened to the Force, hoping to find some sign of Samirah; a thought, a feeling, a fleeting _touch_ of her through the bond. The basket slowed even more before coming to a complete stop. Gorwooken secured the basket as Bastila jumped from it and scanned the area for Samirah, for anything.

"Samirah!" Her feet felt the grass and she frantically searched the area, her eyes adjusting to the scenery rather quickly. "Samirah, if you can hear me, respond now! If this is a game it is in poor taste!" She challenged but heard nothing in response. Something from the corner of her eye caught her attention—something that glinted.

Her… lightsaber? If it was here… where was she?

"Missing someone?" Bastila spun to see a face she remembered but unsure from where. It didn't matter because Canderous stepped up, his blaster rifle already out and ready, a pleasant grin in place. A grin that worried even Bastila.

"Calo Nord." He said with pleasure. "I knew you couldn't be killed so easily. We have a rematch to settle, you and I."

Calo's face remained as expressionless as ever, cold and calculating as two Wookiees emerged from the shadows of the forest floor. Something Bastila hadn't sensed because her focus was on Samirah—a mistake that could have proved fatal to them all had Calo not felt the need to speak to them.

"I have to give you credit… you've led me on quite a chase. But nobody gets away from Calo Nord in the end. Not even a Mandalorian such as yourself, Canderous. Seems I may not have gotten you all in my little trap but I managed one of you by the looks of it." Bastila's face hardened.

Of course! It was no accident; it was an attempt to kill them all at once had Gorwooken not fixed it. Calo didn't like to play fair. Bounty hunters only cared about the prize and reaching it by any means necessary.

"I see you brought some back up, Calo. Realized we were a bit much to handle on your own, eh?" Canderous taunted but Calo shrugged it off.

"No, Canderous. Just wanting to make sure I only have to do the job once. You got lucky on Taris; the Sith attack saved you from a quick and gruesome death. But I promise you, the Sith won't be getting in my way this time. It'll just be you and me." He mused, a smirk curling the corner of his mouth.

"You'll regret this, Calo." Bastila warned, her double-bladed lightsaber already unbuckled and ignited but it hardly worried Calo. He seemed more intrigued by it than anything else. "You'll regret ever stepping on Kashyyyk." He only smirked.

"We'll see about that. Let's go, boys… It's show time!"

The fight begun, their focus now on Calo.

* * *

Samirah moaned as she stirred, feeling the bruising all over her back and her sides. She coughed as she felt the after effects of air being knocked from her while she struggled to breathe. If those were the only wounds she would suffer, she could handle that. She could handle it so long as it meant she was still alive. She had been lucky. The Force was truly looking out for her. She had fallen into a net of vines or maybe they were webs? They were sturdy enough to break her fall and held her long enough for her hands to grab on before snapping and swinging her over a hill, rolling down its side. She had been thrown away from where the basket was supposed to land. The impact had knocked her unconscious but for how long… she wasn't sure. She struggled to move but found it hard as the pain burned through her limbs.

Where was Bastila and Canderous… and Carth? Were they still stuck in the air on the basket? Did they land? Her head ached and she moaned in response. Her legs feeling like jelly, her hands soar from splinters and the bruises that dotted her body only made her feel tired. She was always getting battered by something. Better herself than the others, she supposed.

The crunching of grass made her head snap over in the direction the sound originated from. She opened her mouth, ready to speak thinking that Bastila or someone had found her but before she could utter a sound, a Katarn stepped out. Its nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air, its eyes following Samirah. She froze as she groped the grass, looking for some kind of protection—idealistically, her lightsaber but found that it had landed nowhere near her. Damn. The Katarn pawed at the ground, shaking its head before readying its horns.

Maybe luck wasn't on her side.

As the Katarn started to move, something caught its attention, making it roar. A green light cut through the darkness and swung in all directions, someone letting loose a battle cry as the weapon cut through the Katarn with hardly any effort at all. The creature snarled before stumbling about as another swipe of the weapon sent it crashing against the floor with a small growl. And just like that the green light extinguished itself and at first, she wondered if one of the Masters had followed them into Kashyyyk… would they leave the enclave just to watch out for them?

"Ah, the damnable racket of battle…" The unknown visitor mumbled. "If you aren't careful, these beasts will jump up out at you from their little hidey holes in the underbrush."

Samirah blinked as she realized she didn't recognize the voice. She had no idea who it was. A Jedi she had yet to meet? Why were they so far from Dantooine? From Coruscant?

"Well, well, what do we have here?" He stepped closer, Samirah's eyes finally adjusting to reveal a man—an older man with a darkish caramel skin tone that was adorned with what looked like Jedi robes. He was bald with a graying beard and eyebrows that were arched up as he inspected her.

"W-who are you?" She managed in a hoarse voice as he knelt down in front of her.

"I'm Jolee. Jolee Bindo. Seems you've got yourself into a bit of trouble now haven't you, lass?" He said as he placed a hand on her arm, making her flinch for a moment before she felt the strength of the Force flow through her. He closed his eyes and scrunched his face up a bit as he concentrated on her wounds.

He was healing her. The aches melted away, the bruises fading away as if they were never there. When he had finished, he let out a breath he had been holding in before offering her his hand. He helped her into a sitting position before helping her to stand up, her mind a bit flabbergasted at everything. He helped her. He couldn't possibly be the crazy man… could he?

"Y-you used the force? You use a lightsaber? Are you a Jedi?" She questioned quickly. Was this the old man the Wookiees talked about? They never even mentioned that he could possibly be a Jedi. How did they miss that small piece of detail?

Jolee just rolled his eyes at her comment.

"Ah, don't start fawning just yet. I'm too old for it." He said with a sigh and a shake of his head, keeping a relaxed hold on her forearm. "I...I might know a few things, but let's save that for another time, hm? Let's get you to my camp first where it's safe and snug too. It's nearby, under a log."

They both paused.

"A log?" She questioned slowly which made him look at her sharply.

"Yeah, I live like some burrowing rodent. I fought the Sith… now look at me. Hmph!" He said with disdain, his nose scrunched up as he wiggled it.

"I-I wasn't judging." She quickly amended, earning a rueful smile from the old Jedi.

"I wasn't born yesterday lass." He said as he directed her in the right way to his little hut. "Keep close. Don't want you being eaten when I'm not looking—would be a most unfortunate fate if you ask me. There are far worse fates though, believe me, but a fate we don't want just yet." He said with what sounded like… amusement?

Perhaps this old man was crazy after all. Samirah could only but trust him for now, at least until she found the others. She knew they were alright, she could faintly feel Bastila… but her thoughts were focused on something else. Whatever it was, it required her full attention and kept Samirah from fully checking in on them. All she could do was pray they were alright and that the Force was with them, keeping them safe.

And that they wouldn't kill each other either.

Whichever came first.

* * *

**And done!**

**How did you like it? Bad? Good? Leave me a comment/review and tell me what you thought, even if you just wanted to remark on a certain scene or make an edit to it- I appreciate any feedback from you guys! I love hearing from you! I hope you guys liked it and I can't wait to keep going, I get the feeling i'm going to really enjoy writing the following chapters with Jolee in the mix... hehe, he makes me smile. Thank so much for reading guys and for sticking with me! You are the best there ever was! Until next time (which should be soon since- as in before christmas but don't quote me on that. Since I don't have school it should be quicker than a month, no doubt.) don't forget to cast your vote either! Personally, I'm thinking Tatooine to go get HK but its ultimately up to you guys ;) i'll write whatever chapter you guys choose! Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you!**

**~~SilverShards~~**


	26. Chapter 25: The Crazy Old Man

**Disclaimer: You know what? I think you guys get the picture. I sadly do not own Star Wars. Just this Darth Vader coffee cup. Be Jealous.**

**Hello everyone! Long time no read, I know and I sincerely apologize for the delay. I know you've all been eagerly waiting on a new chapter and here it is. I tried to work hard on this one, add a little flavor and so on. Hopefully it doesn't drag on or anything. I'm crossing my fingers. Since I took so long to update, this is another 21 page long story (really, really long one again.. takes forever to proof read! lol) so hopefully it will satisfy you all until I can update again! (Hopefully wont take 4 months again... if it does, just bombard me with e-mails, messages, whatever you can think of! Tell me that my Jedi powers will be revoked and you'll have me typing faster then an Ewok on coffee... and hopefully more legible too lol. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**The Crazy Old Man**

"_Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage."_

Samirah stepped inside the small humble abode that the man named Jolee Bindo resided in. Just from the few moments that she had spent with him, she could tell he was… odd, for lack of a better word. He kept taking odd little glances at her, his face showing a variety of expressions that both perplexed her and worried her.

Glancing around the small hut she examined it with a sense of curiosity and bewilderment. It was a cozy, self built home that was full of handcrafted items that must have taken much time to acquire and create. A small fireplace was built in a corner where a small fire was lit and left burning, a small metal pot dangling from above it as a liquid inside simmered. The smell, wafting from the pot reminding her of tea—perhaps Sapir tea? The smell made her stomach ache, revealing how hungry she was… when had she last had a proper meal? Definitely not since landing on Kashyyyk.

The little hut itself was mostly built inside of a tree and insulated with what perhaps could have been mud or something along the same lines but Samirah couldn't be sure. Maybe she didn't want to know, actually. The light was so very dim as Jolee walked around, lighting the little candles he had scattered about. They had wax dripping down the side, lumping together from being lit and then extinguished several times over; some only had a few hours of light left in them.

Jolee lit each one slowly, seeing no need to rush things along—it wasn't like she had anywhere to be, he thought with a smirk. He turned around to see her standing awkwardly at the front door. Her eyes slowly wondered around the room, gazing with interest and awe.

"Well, sit down lass. Pull yourself up a stump and be comfortable." He said with an odd smile as she quickly complied with his wishes and grabbed one to sit on. She pulled her pack off her shoulders, placing it on the floor beside her. "Welcome to my home, such as it is. It's nothing fancy but who has time for those things these days any way?" He spoke as a chuckle echoed his words and her response was a simple but warm smile that was slightly awkward as well. He pulled two cups from a shelf as he started to fill them with tea from his pot.

"I believe you and I have a few things to discuss." He spoke, glancing at her from where he stood.

He brought her the cup of tea, a small smile forming as she cupped it between two hands, taking in the scent. It was Sapir tea. She had guessed right. The green liquid was mellow and clear, the fragrant smell filling her senses. Jolee sat across from her with his own cup in his hand, relaxing in the chair—or stomp that resembled a chair, being a more accurate description—with a sigh and mumbling something about being too old for this kind of thing. When she looked at him, he was shaking his head.

"Pardon me…?" She questioned quietly, earning a curious gaze from the old Jedi. "… but I'm not sure I have much to offer you Master Jedi. I'm new to this…On the other hand, however, I think I could learn much more from you…" This caused Jolee to narrow his eyes at her.

"Don't coddle me, child." He said with a lilt in his voice. "I'm neither a Jedi nor your master. I'm just an old man that's been lost in the woods for _far _too long. My days of glory are behind me and I don't really feeling like twisting my neck just to revisit them." He said with a hint of sarcasm before rethinking his response.

"But… perhaps there is something I can do for you… hm? Questions, I'm sure?" He sipped his tea carefully, letting loose a soft sigh as he set it back down.

"Questions?" She asked, puzzled. "I-I don't know… I guess we could start… uh... well, with you?" She stumbled over her words and Jolee just chuckled, nodding his head.

"Ah, well what is there to tell? Jolee Bindo is the crazy old man in the dangerous woods. I'm content with the impression I give." He offered her with a shrug.

"But you use a lightsaber. By definition, doesn't that make you a… well, you know… a Jedi?" He just shook his head with a rumbling sound coming from his chest.

"I follow the Jedi Way and I command the Force, yes, and I suppose that makes me as much a Jedi as anyone… but what of it?" He countered. "Why should being what I am compel me to entertain others with tales of the 'good old days' huh? I've seen my share of the dark and the light. And frankly, both extremes annoy me. Of course… I have felt the rumblings of change here and there…" He sipped his tea again, his calculating eyes watching her carefully.

"And no, that's not my old age making me sound all wise and mystical to make you think I can predict the future or whatever it is you kids believe these days… "He griped, setting his cup down and opting for crossing his arms over his chest as he watched Samirah timidly hold her cup. "Perhaps you will be of some assistance to me after all. Let us discuss what you came here for first, and then we can ask the old man about what he knows later."

Samirah gave him a lopsided frown, trying to mask the smile that was tugging at her lips. He was confusing and definitely odd. Crazy? Well, that was still up for debate.

"You know, you are just a little bit difficult… it kind of worries me for someone who's a Jedi or at least resembles it. Jedi are supposed to have some sort of… stability, right? I'm not sure how to quite handle you and your…well…" She trailed off.

"Ah, and it makes you think I may have the taint of the dark side in me, doesn't it? Ooh. Is that what you are wondering, huh? Ooh. We should watch him, he might join the _dark side_ and destroy us all! Ooh!" He wiggled his hands in the air for extra effect before shaking his head at her. "Well, I assure you, I see more grey than dark or light. I'm just a stubborn old man, tired of the foolishness of others." He grabbed his cup and finished his tea before standing up to refill his cup with more.

Samirah waited quietly as he refilled it, wondering how to proceed. He was definitely different than most Jedi she had met. There were the calm and collected type—sure they spoke in riddles a lot but usually it was meant to give you a greater insight when you thought about problems or even the mysteries of the world. When Jolee spoke—it was like he was just saying stuff in riddles to purposefully make fun of it. Like the world was a joke to him and he had earned the right to jerk your chain around in circles. She was kind of weary about the idea of asking him anything…

"Jolee…" She called quietly and cautiously, as he turned from the pot with his new cup of tea. He moved slowly back to his chair, sitting down as he gave her a questioning look. "Do you know anything about a Star Map? Here on Kashyyyk?" He just leaned forward with a knowing smirk.

"Now why would you be asking about that, hmm? Don't answer." He reconsidered with a scowl, sipping his tea. "I knew that had to be why you were here." He looked at his tea, still shaking his head slowly. "The problems of a few Wookiees don't amount to anything before the concerns of the Jedi. No, you are here for the map."

It was the way that he spoke that made her feel guilty.

"It's not that I don't want to help, it's a very difficult thing to do—a very delicate matter!" She protested, trying to defend herself to the old man who just grinned and sipped, happy with himself all of a sudden. "Look, it's a very difficult issue, there are just so many troubles here…" She trailed off as he set his tea down.

"Yes, among the Wookiees. Intriguing creatures. I like that they have little patience for bureaucrats." Samirah gave him an odd look. What relevance did that have? "But of course, even here there are hidden things that manipulate." He mused and Samirah frowned. She had an inkling of an idea as to what he was going after.

"Let me guess, Chuundar?" Jolee just nodded.

"Czerka Corporation was smart to put him in power. He's as good at destroying Wookiee culture as dropping corpses full of Ardroxian Flu. Will you work for him or against him, I wonder? I will be interested to see." He sipped his tea as he watched her over the top of the cup, his smirk covered by it.

"What does that mean? Aren't you going to recommend which path I choose or something? That's what Jedi do… isn't it? Give me some bit of insight; advise me?" She asked skeptically. He really was an odd Jedi. Usually a Jedi was quick to spew their teachings at you at the very inkling that you might even remotely need it. Even if you didn't, they spewed it anyway. Especially the older ones who thought that their daily duties were something you needed to know. Jolee just shrugged again.

"Uh, sure, how's this: think for yourself. I don't care for politics, and I'm big on letting people figure things out for themselves. The Wookiees have prophesies of deliverance if you ask them, but for now they follow without hesitation. That is their wish." Samirah put her cup down and rubbed her face instead with her hand.

"You are not making _any_ sense at all." Jolee just snorted.

"I'm an old man. What's there to make sense of? I could be screaming at you and waving my lightsaber in the air if it would make you feel any better?" He said with a snarky remark, taking another sip of his tea. "I'd sure enjoy it…"

"N-no, thank you… no lightsaber waving needed…You're just definitely different when compared to other Jedi I've met…" She said quietly, looking back up at him as she rested her arms on his table. He just snorted again. "Let me ask you a question then… I'm supposed to be down here looking for a crazy Wookiee?" Jolee just nodded as he set his cup down again so he could stroke his beard.

"Maddened with grief, perhaps, but not crazed. I helped him pass to the lower forests where only a Wookiee could follow. There is a barrier that… well, we'll talk of that more in a moment." He quickly amended making Samirah knit her brows together.

"Barrier? What kind of barrier?" Jolee just gave her a pointed look.

"I said later, lass. Don't go badgering me quite yet about things I haven't deemed you ready for." He shot back. "Jolee Bindo is many things, but he's not a pushover, I tell you!" He finished with a pounding of his fist on the table, making Samirah jump. It wasn't an angry pound but it was one that demanded your full attention.

"S-sorry…" She stammered, looking down at her lap to avoid eye contact. "Then… do you know of anything else down here? Anything that will help?"

"I have witnessed a number of happening, but I have left them for others to sort out."

Samirah dropped her head to the table. He was impossible. She'd have more luck finding answers to things from a Jawa then she would from this old man. At least Jawa's simplified things into simple context and names. Did Jolee? No. He had to speak in riddles.

"You aren't being very helpful at all… not in the slightest." He chuckled a low, throaty sound as he leaned back in his chair.

"I wasn't aware I had to be." He spoke. "Look, events like these reveal much about the people involved. I'm well past that introspective tripe. I'm not saying that outside help isn't needed. I just… well… "He stopped momentarily, trying to figure the best way to get his point across.

"I didn't want to make anyone mad while I didn't have a way off the planet. We'll talk more about that momentarily though…" He trailed off. They were quiet for a second as Samirah thought about banging her head on the table—repeatedly. She had an inkling of what he was getting at but surely she wasn't the one he was looking for…

"Kashyyyk is an intriguing place." He mused out loud, bringing her attention back to him. "More so than anyone suspects. If Czerka Corporation only knew, heh, well the planet would be a strip mine." Samirah raised an eyebrow at him, suspiciously. It wasn't that she didn't find any interest in the planet but she didn't see where this was going….

"Um, sir, I'm not sure… well, is there a point to this?" She opted for being blunt and he just narrowed his eyes at her.

"Listen lass, do you want my help or don't you? I may be old but I've earned the right to tell my boring tales when I feel like it and if I find this to be important enough to tell then it is your duty as the young whippersnapper to sit down and listen to me!" He chided and before she could respond he gave her a stern look that made her shut her mouth. "Now where I was…oh yes, the Wookiees. That's right… They have their legends that they weren't always here but it is more than that. The trees themselves are strangers."

Samirah knitted her brows. She was confused. "What are you—"

"What I'm saying," He interrupted with impatience, "Is that there are literally walls in your way and you won't find what you need without my help… and it comes with a price…." He finished.

"A price?" She echoed and he just nodded. "What do I need to do?" He grinned.

"Since they began expanding in the Shadowlands, the Czerka have left me alone for the most part… until recently, anyway." He grumbled with a scowl, his face looking out the window. "A group of them set up camp not far from here. Poachers is all they are. I'd like them removed from this place. Disrespecting the wildlife and endangering species… it's really getting under my skin."

Samirah stared at him.

"Poachers…" She clarified and he nodded. "You want me to take care of a bunch of Poachers? Jolee, I mean, you're a Jedi… how hard can it be to rid yourself of them?"

"Don't talk back to your elders, child!" He snapped and she flinched. "Look, they know me quite well and are always on alert when I approach. It's not like I can just walk up to them, wave my hands in the air and spout Jedi nonsense about the Force and scare them into submission. Heh, would like to see you try it though…" He mumbled out loud.

"The only way _I_ could get rid of them would be violence, which would eventually lead to trouble for the Wookiees. I want them gone but with as little fuss as possible, lass. They've already caused enough trouble as it is. Once that's done and over with, I'll help you get your Galaxy Map—"

"—Star Map." She corrected and he waved it off.

"Yeah, Astro Chart thing—" She frowned. He wasn't even trying anymore. "I help you get that and then we can leave this dreadful planet and be on our merry way."

She simply stared at him again. Twice in a matter of seconds, this old man had managed to make her speechless.

"I-I'm sorry but… _we?" _She asked.

"Yes, you presumably have a ship. I've seen all I wish here," He said with a wave of his hand, gesturing to the outside world as he got up from the stump. He moved the small, carved out window of the little hut and leaned on the window ceil. "Isn't that enough? I mean, I'm really sick of the trees. You can only see the same tree once before they all start to look the same… or something like that…" He mumbled, trailing off.

"And, perhaps, your destiny might show me something new." He glanced back at her, that silly smirk of his on his face again. "You never know, lass."

She rubbed her face, looking down at her empty cup of tea. There were slight smudges of leaves against the cup and drops of tea that linked together, forming the remnants. Destiny, huh? Something the Jedi always talked about—how everyone had a destiny before them. How it was all predetermined and that the smallest thing could change the outcome. The Jedi loved their talk about destiny… about how everyone had this big destiny before them. Destiny this. Destiny that.

If she had just stayed as a scout, her destiny would revolve around just surviving and meeting the wrong people at the wrong places. She didn't know which she liked better.

"Alright, I don't think I can argue the point." She said, smiling at him and he snorted. "I'll get started on this task—I'm sure I'll come out of this more enlightened, master." She let the word _master_ slip and immediately flinched when he gave her a stern look.

"Oh save it. I'm no master and there's no higher _enlightenment _to be gained from it. I know this sounds absurd, but I'm old and entitled to work you around a bit. This is arbitrary errand work," He explained, "but so are the requests of the aged. You still have to do it!" He said pointedly.

"But I haven't agreed to the terms."

"I don't remember giving you a choice, child." He said with a smile and she sighed. Of course he didn't and she wasn't usually ever in the market for saying no to people. "The poacher's camp is in the northeast. Now remember, if I wanted them dead, I'd have done it myself. Find a better way. The last thing I need is my peace to be interrupted by the screaming of the unfortunates."

She stood up from her chair, brushing off her robes to remove the dirt from her earlier exploits. She still had a few twigs and leaves entangled in her hair that she had yet to pull free. Jolee was just smiling at the idea that she had accepted his task. In all honesty, how could she say no? He could sense her good natured attitude and intent. He knew she wouldn't say no. She needed him about as much as he needed her… he was just too old to make it easy.

"All right, I'll submit." She said, looking him in the eyes, her chocolate pools swirling with resolve.

"Good!" He said with a grin. "Now shoo! I'm due for a nap… just, come back when they're gone or… something…" He grumbled, scratching his head.

Samirah was dumbfounded as he walked away, grumbling some more about the youth of this day and age. He vanished behind a layer of cloth that dangled off in the corner, concealing what must have been his room. She frowned, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. That was it? He gave her a task and then takes a nap? He wasn't worried that she might just take off with his valuables or something? Taking a second look around the room, she smiled to herself seeing that he didn't really have anything she would consider valuable.

The only thing of value to her was the knowledge he had.

Smart old man.

She pulled her little back pack over her shoulders and straightened up before she set out. She pushed open the door, stepping out in to the woods of Kashyyyk. She was to find these poachers and to make them leave the Shadowlands. A task that she knew was tougher than it sounded. She'd have to play her cards right in order to get them out of there. She reached for her lightsaber, wishing to grip the hilt only to realize that it was nowhere to be found. She cursed to herself at the misfortune of losing her lightsaber… that was surely against the Jedi code.

Well, she couldn't make fun of Bastila for losing her lightsaber on Taris anymore. It seems it's easier to do than she had originally assumed. She smiled at the memory, of Carth harassing her and laughing while she huffed and puffed. Where were they now? Where was Canderous? She didn't know where in the forest she was so she couldn't exactly retrace steps to find the lift… did they even make it down? She had to remain optimistic. They were tough and they were smart—they would be safe.

She may not have the use of her lightsaber but she could still use the force and she had to hope that it would not come to violence—because she would be at a disadvantage. It was an unnerving feeling as she stepped through the brush, knowing that she was without a weapon. Her hands were held out for balance as she gingerly and carefully walked through the fog that clung to the surface. It obscured her view of what was in the way and what she could be stepping on. The last thing she wanted to do was step on a tail that belonged to some very grumpy Katarn or something.

Damn. She wished she had her lightsaber. Any weapon was better… then no weapon…

Then, she was struck with a thought and it was clear as day. Didn't she take some from the Sith she had encountered before? She moved over to the side, staying concealed behind a tree as she inspected her pack. She had a total of four foreign lightsabers that she had collected, the hilts as different as day was from night. She had thought to use them for parts or as spares if she or Bastila ever broke or misplaced them… and at the rate they were going, it was a good idea. More than enough ammunition in her opinion in the event things went south. She grabbed one that was closest to her, sensing the small taint that was fused with the weapon… the dark side. It was present in these weapons but like a faint vapor. She switched in on as a blood red blade ignited. The color lighting that little corner of the forest with an intensity that froze Samirah, the blade mesmerizing her with its intensity...

The hum sounding so foreign and yet… it was comforting… familiar.

"_The darkness will take us. But it is necessary and it will prove to be the power we need… take it… take the symbol… It is the hope that was never considered a choice…"_

"_Are you sure? This power… there is no going back. My destiny is final, my choices strong—None will defy what is by right, mine…"_

The voice rattled around in her head and she immediately dropped the lightsaber, the blade disengaging. She scrambled away from it, her hand acting as if it had been burned by the hilt. That voice… it follows her. Wherever the darkness was, it was there—a voice that echoed inside her head, saying things that she would never say. It was her voice and sometimes it was a voice of someone that could never have been her. Then it was a voice of someone completely different… someone powerful and yet... known to her somehow. Malak? It was a riddle, surrounded with cryptic hints that required some key to decipher and it was a key she didn't know or even have. Was this the persona of the dark side? An alter ego? A foreign guest? An entity? The force speaking to her, _thru her!_ Did it breathe as she did, crawl in the minds as the force was meant to?

"_I have the power to end this! Do not defy me or my judgment… the council was wrong, the republic was wrong… we were wrong…but not anymore and not ever…."_

"_How dare you… you know not what you interfere with… these are the plans that will save us and condemn us…"_

She snatched the lightsaber up and stuffed it back in her pack, trying to hurry away from the spot now tainted. The darkness was latching on to anything it could touch and she wanted away from it so badly, it made her shiver. So much for the idea of using a weapon… it might as well have burned her hand when she touched it...

She followed the old man's directions, climbing over fallen branches that would have been trees on any other planet and jumping over mud puddles only discovered too late. She tried to push away the voice in her head, she had no time for it. She had a task to complete and the thought of the dark side taking over was… terrifying.

"_Revan, why would we visit such a place as this?" Malak's breath could almost be felt on Samirah's neck. "What could we find that no Wookiee would have ever discovered? The Maps?"_

Samirah clamped her hands over her ears.

"_I… I feel it… it's… it's so close to us…" _Without even realizing it, Samirah had spoken it aloud. She stumbled over a log, falling to the ground before scrambling back to her feet. She had… spoken it aloud. She was going mad. She was losing it. The darkness was enshrouding her and she couldn't fight it.

_Bastila… I wish…_

Bastila wasn't here. Samirah had to do this on her own this time. She had to be strong. She had to believe in the force and believe that it would guide her. _There is no emotion, there is only peace_,she thought. As the code teaches: she had to remember this, chant this, abide by this and believe in this. And that was exactly what she was planning on doing. She just needed to keep the darkness away… just a little bit longer. She had to do it and she had to succeed.

And then she tripped again.

She had caught her foot on something she hadn't seen and it felt different from just a branch. Her arms flew out before her, catching herself against the soft undergrowth of the forest. The fog was covering the floor, but when she looked back, she could see the form of something forgotten… or more accurately, someone. A Wookiee? Her eyes widened in horror, her body wracked with chills and shivers as she felt the death. It was like being blanketed in sheets of ice, her skin prickled against fingertips meant to be only felt by the dead themselves. She could feel it. She _felt _it.

_This is my way… my path… my destiny… death is but the only path I shall ever walk…_

She couldn't make herself move.

Her body shivered violently—why was she affected by it so much? She had seen death before, she had caused it! She always felt sorrow and pain each time but never like this… never through the force. Never in all her years like this. Her body involuntarily moved, her hand slowly reaching out into the fog and retrieving a fallen satchel. It was tattered and torn, barely holding together… but she was made to grab it. She scooted away from the corpse as quickly as she could, stashing the bag into her own and turning away, her face scrunching up into that of pain and revulsion.

It was painful to _feel._

She felt… sick.

She wobbled to her feet, determined to get away, to let the darkness hover over the corpse like a plague, waiting for its next prey. She didn't want to stay there… it was suffocating. It was exhausting. It was sucking away at her like a leech left too long, unattended too—a blister that worsened with each passing moment. The force was a gift and a curse at times like these… she felt all things with too much emotion. The Force was a living thing and by being connected to it, whenever it felt pain… so did she. When it felt death, she felt the ripple. When it felt joy, she felt the rush. When it felt suffering… she felt the rip and the tear—the agony.

She scurried across the surface, the fog a constant reminder that things lurked beneath the surface… things unseen. Not just in a literal way… but a metaphorical one as well.

After climbing over several more branches and fighting through more brush, she found the clearing that Jolee had talked about. There were a couple of emitters scattered at the corners of the camp—about five from what she could see. A couple of men were stationed at each one, playing a game of Pazaak while others were checking out containers full of cargo and maintaining their weapons. She paused for a moment, taking the time to recollect herself. This was it. She needed to calm down and focus on her breathing. The force was her weapon, the force was her shield and it was her healer. She relied on it to help calm the inner turmoil she had been feeling. There was no more time to be petty, she needed to hurry.

Minutes passed by before she had finally steadied herself enough to feel confident. She had just started surveying them and wondering how to approach them when the commander of the outfit took notice of her presence.

"Hold up. Who are you?" He inquired, his blaster held up in her direction. "If you're another civil merchant like that coro-slime up on the docking ring then you can just turn around slowly and walk back the way you came. This is my territory." Samirah held her hands up slowly, hoping to keep him calm. The task was to do this without violence.

"Take it easy… I mean you no harm… I just want to talk…" She started quietly but to no avail. He didn't even waver.

"I don't make deals and I don't persuade easily, so go back topside. Mess with my profits and I'll see you dead." His eyes were focused intently on her as was the barrel of his blaster. His finger curled around the trigger and she remained still.

"I'm not with anyone from the dock, I'm just… well, here…" She frowned, trying to be careful with what she said. She didn't want to fight them and at the same time, didn't want them to know she was a Jedi so all she had to go on for now were words. She wasn't going to use those tainted lightsabers in her pack either… she couldn't… "It shouldn't be any of your concern if I'm down here or not, should it?" She questioned.

He slowly lowered his gun but only enough to show that he wasn't going to shoot her… yet. He kept it slightly inclined in her direction, keeping her very aware that it would only take a second for him to move his arm and pull the trigger. She would be quick enough to use the force and rip the weapon from his hands but she would then be faced with fighting them all off and again… violence wasn't the answer she needed. She wasn't even how sure she would fair without the use of her lightsaber…

"Oh, so you're playing tourist?" He spoke slowly and sarcastically. "How quaint. That isn't smart, girl. The Shadowlands are all business and not for the faint of heart or a frail thing such as you. Mess around and you'll end up dead. So if you have business here make it quick or leave." He finished with a harsh undertone.

"What if _my business _requires that you and your men pack up and leave?"

It was an innocent question really. Might as well be blunt with the idiots—they obviously held themselves up high on the ladder around here; especially the commander who was now laughing in her face. Samirah frowned as he lowered his weapon completely just so he could laugh at her when she was being completely serious. Apparently the threat was gone.

"Pack up and leave?" He gasped, "You're serious? Is that old hermit Jolee trying to talk you into doing his dirty work?" He took several deep breaths, trying to stop his laughter. When he was finally calm again, he looked pointedly at Samirah, an arrogant smile in place like he was humoring her now.

"We've spent too much on setting up just to walk away, my dear. As long as the sonic emitters keep the preds away and I've got bodies to guard the perimeter, we're staying right here." He started chuckling again, amused at the spectacle she had brought to him. "I mean, if I can put up with my own worthless guards complaining about this place, Jolee whining through you is nothing."

Not the answer she was looking for. She frowned at him, her hands on her hips just for the added attitude.

"Fine." She spat and he only smirked, his irritation a small little twitch in his face. He didn't like her attitude.

"Listen missy, I'm not down here to direct traffic, you got it? I'm not here to give you directions to the latest tourist sights, all right? So if you don't—"They were interrupted by the sound of a man yelling for the commander. He rolled his eyes as a cage full of Tachs was spilled over and the little creatures scurried around. The inept officer was struggling to catch up to them, screaming for help as he did so. The men guarding the emitters started to move but the Commander pointed at them as he moved to quickly help and shouted at them quickly.

"You men! Stay at your post! Don't you dare move, these blasted creatures are likely to go playing with the wires! Listen girl, I don't have time for you so do me the honor of removing yourself before I remove you with my blaster!" He screamed, jogging over to help with the breach.

The moment he was away from her, she quietly sauntered up to one of the men who was seated next to an emitter. She watched the commander carefully as she slowly sat beside the guard who was seated on several sturdy boxes. The guard watched her with guarded curiosity as she slowly sat down, his hand on his blaster and his finger curled around the trigger.

"I saw you talking to the commander. You shouldn't be here. You should just get up right now and walk away. I can't offer you anything other then what the Commander told you and he probably said more than I would know." The guard spoke with a sarcastic tone, his trigger finger relaxing but not by much.

"So… asking you questions is out of the question?" She teased, but her mind was trying to calculate each word carefully. If she could persuade them to leave… persuade the guards to abandon the post then they'd all be forced to leave… right?

The guard smirked. "I'm not here because I know stuff, ok? I handle a blaster well enough to guard this emitter, and that's it." She clasped her hands over her knees, squeezing them as she kept her eyes on the commander who was screaming at his men. She needed to keep it light and show him she posed no threat… make him relaxed. Time wasn't on her side.

"So that's all you do all day? You sit by this emitter and… well, just sit by it?" She posed and he grunted, spinning his gun between his fingers.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it. I mean I get why, but we aren't allowed to do much but sit here and make sure they keep running which is sort of important I guess." He said in a sullen tone, looking up at the metal tower beside him. The emitter was running at full capacity and as efficiently as the day they arrived. "They generate a sonic barrier that allows us to stay in this wonderful location. It keeps the big predators away. I'm not sure how they work but I know they work enough to keep us safe."

So if the emitters went down…

"So that's the only thing that's keeping you here?" She pressed and he immediately went on his guard, narrowing his eyes. She needed to be careful here.

"What of it?" His tone had become accusatory and standoffish as he eyed her down, his hand coiling around his blaster again. She fidgeted, trying to play the part of the intimidated traveler.

"N-no reason… I was just thinking that if someone happened to shut them down… you could leave… you wouldn't have to worry about being stuck on such a demeaning job as guarding an emitter. Anyone could do that… it's a waste really…" she spoke in a sweet tone, her eyes following the commander as he continued to screamed and trip over Tachs that ran rampant. They weren't making much progress yet.

The guard followed her eyes before jerking back at her with suspicion. It took him a few moments before what she said clicked in. The realization passed over his face with a shock before he reeled himself back in to a more composed look. He looked down and let go of his tight grip on his blaster.

"You're right. It's a waste of my skill… just wasting away down here and for what?" He thrusted his hand out to jester at the small Tachs. After another few moments of observing, he reached into his pocket and retrieved his datapad. He typed away at it before taking a slow and deep breath to look at Samirah. "I suppose you could… take this code from me and find a use for it. The Tachs are pretty distracting for me and the other guards. If a few emitters went out… I guess that would make it dangerous for us to continue staying it here, wouldn't it?"

"My code will work for my emitter only…" He added quietly.

Samirah slowly took the datapad from him and he immediately stood up and took a few steps away from the emitter. Samirah just stared at him before looking at the datapad. He wanted _her_ to disable them? It was a good thing she had an excellent understanding of technology because he could get into a lot of trouble quick if she did something wrong in her attempt to disable it.

She got up and moved quietly to the emitter, watching her surroundings for any onlookers. She raised her hands and delicately removed the panel to reveal the circuitry. She messed around with the circuits until she found the override pass code entry and input the code she was given. The emitter stopped spinning abruptly and she quickly looked around to see if anyone saw. The guards still watched as the commander recollected the last few Tachs who continued to elude him. She reattached the panel before sliding up behind the guard.

"If something happens, be prepared to run…" She whispered, moving away quickly to the next guard with a smile. She was running out of distractions and time so she needed to work quickly which meant unconventional means. This hadn't been a well thought out plan.

The guard was immediately aware of her but the moment she was a few steps away from him, she waved her hand delicately over his face, letting the force flow from her fingertips. She smiled sweetly as his stance fell and became relaxed, staring dumbly at her as she spoke in a sickly sweet tone even to her own ears.

"You are such a dear that you are going to willingly give me the code to your emitter and then, run when danger becomes apparent. Right?" He nodded with a smile, reaching into his pocket. "You don't even want to be here."

"I don't want to be here." He agreed, searching through is datapad before handing it over to her. "Here's the code to my emitter ma'am." She quickly snatched the datapad from him with a smile before looking over her shoulder to see the commander place the last Tach in the cage with a sigh. She was out of time and needed more.

She focused, staring at a cage that was sitting atop a few other boxes. She held her hand up and flicked her wrist at it, knocking it over with a crash. It drew everyone's attention as she visualized the cage in her mind—the cold metal, the slender bars, the hinges that kept the cage locked and secure—and guiding the force, released the locked creatures. The moment the door was loose, it fell open and the Tachs jumped out in a frantic horde. The Commander was cursing left and right again as he blamed his men before ordering them to catch them.

"Damnable creatures! I'll shoot them myself and then you clumsy buffoons if you do not recollect them before my patience with you runs out and my temper elevates to the high heavens!" He shouted, shooting his blaster in the air, worsening the problem to his own displeasure.

Samirah quickly went to work on the emitter, removing the panel and working with the system set up to find the over ride. The emitter shut down with a vague flourish of low notes before ceasing to move. Once she finished, she skirted around the men who were attempting to corner the frightened Tachs. She approached the third transmitter, the guard abandoning his post to chase after a fleeing Tach that escaped the Commander's notice. She snuck over to the emitter, kneeling down beside it and pulling the panel off. She searched the wires and began messing with them in an attempt to hack it. They were sturdy and well armed machines so she couldn't exactly just knock them over and hope for the best. It would only draw more attention to her, unfortunately, so she would have to do it manually.

She tried to work quickly in order to disable the emitter before anyone noticed. The override consisted of 6 double digit numbers and guessing what each number was would take too much time so she opted for using the circuitry to switch where the signal was being casted. The emitter was a beacon that relied on all the others—it transmitted a signal which created a barrier that warded off predators. A repellent that only affected the predatory creatures of the Shadowlands. If she could rewire the signal to no longer transmit the barrier then maybe she'd have enough…

She felt the blaster being gently pushed against the side of her head and she froze.

"You wretched, double-crossing, conniving and manipulative creature…" The Commander's voice slithered up the back of her spine. She hadn't been paying attention. She had been so focused on the emitter that she let him sneak up on her. If the order ever found out about her carelessness she'd be reprimanded on so many different levels—it was practically against Jedi policy to be unaware of your surroundings. It was almost as bad as losing your lightsaber. "You really think you're that clever, don't you my girl?"

She closed her eyes and grimaced as he nudged her with the tip of his blaster, her arms slowly moving up in the air. If she could time it just right, she could maneuver herself to throw him off balance. A flick of her wrist and perfect control of the force would hopefully be enough to throw him off balance and give her an edge. But it had to be perfect. Without the use of her lightsaber… things could get difficult quick. The thought of using a red bladed saber sent shivers down her spine. That intoxicating feeling, the tendrils of power that rolled off it like insidious mist…

She could feel it invading her mind all over again…

"What! No, blast it!" The Commander shouted before smacking Samirah in the head with his blaster in one swift movement. She winced, falling forward into the emitter she had been trying to hack as the men started shuffling around. When she looked up, her head aching from the small blow, she was greeted by an ear splitting roar. She immediately flinched and covered her ears as she heard the others scream— "Run! Run!"

She immediately reacted, getting up with determination and only acting on instinct: Run. But not for the same reason the guards were running…

She was feeling the dark tendrils wafting off the creature like a tidal wave and all she knew was that she needed to get away from it.

She bumped into several guards in the confusion of trying to escape. One knocked into her hard enough that she stumbled a bit before falling in front of the enormous creature herself, the Czerka men not even giving her a second glance as they ran to the basket. The creature was roaring with a ferocity that rivaled anything she'd ever seen, its hulking body armored so heavily, she doubted even a lightsaber could scratch its flesh. In fact, its armor seemed like it had been scratched over by such blades but never enough to wound it. Its teeth a jagged collection of sharp and menacing traps, covered in saliva that smelled more rancid than a Gamorrean in the sewers of Taris.

The power that flowed from it was overwhelming… the dark side. This creature was bathed in its command and by being in its presence… it was feeding off her. It was a feeling of weariness that besieged her as its giant eyes fixated on her. The red irises becoming the embodiment of darkness that followed her every movement, almost hearing each breath she had breathed. She was scared, frozen with the full impact of its power… the name echoed in her mind from her studies at the temple… from the warning she had been given time and time again…_Terentatek. _

The beast had her paralyzed in fear… the dark side had her in its grasp...

_This… is only a taste. It is only the beginning. What we search for shall be ours and never his… never theirs… this power will be ours…_

The voices…

It hollered and cried as it started to charge at her, her eyes widening, her mind racing with terror. What was she supposed to do… could she move? Would it let her? She couldn't remember how to move her legs! She clamped her eyes shut, gripped with an enormous amount of fear before something hit her with a great amount of force and rolled with her across the ground. They rolled into the brief safety of the underbrush, the creature chomping on an emitter before searching for its missed prey. She cowered, hiding her head hoping that it didn't see her. Something, luckily and more than likely, a few guards caught its attention before it howled and roared, chasing after the new prey, hoping for the same meal.

She remained quiet for so long, her body was wracked with shivers and goose bumps at the encounter. The immensity of raw darkness from the creature… she'd felt nothing like it. Why did the darkness have such an effect on her? Was it because she wasn't as well trained as most Jedi? Did they all struggle against the lure of the dark side or was she but the only one who felt the velvet embrace like ice sickles crystallizing in a blanket of sweet, sweet promises? Maybe…If only she could just feelit… _taste_ it…

_No!_

The voice echoed in her head and she wanted to cry. She was overwhelmed with these emotions… this insecurity of darkness that wrapped around her like a tornado. She couldn't even touch the lightsabers in her pack… couldn't even look at them without hearing things. Whispers of a time that didn't belong to her and she prayed that it never would. Was she that weak? That susceptible?

"Shh… it's ok… calm down…" She hadn't even realized it until they spoke... No…

"C-Carth?" Her voice broke on his name as she came to the realization that she was holding him in this embrace. She was clinging to him for comfort as she was… crying?

"I'm here, it's alright now…" His husky voice only making her cry harder as she held on to him tightly, Carth returning the embrace. "God, you had me scared, Samirah…" He breathed, holding her close to him, inhaling her fragrant floral scent.

"I-I'm….I'm…" She was trying to use words but she couldn't seem to get her words out between breaths. Carth just shushed her, allowing her the few moments she wanted to just let it all out.

The dark side had crawled around inside her like a worm, seeking something to feed off of—to drain her. This place was just filled with the miasmic darkness and it was overwhelming her senses… prolonged exposure was sure to be bad for her if they stayed much longer. She was sensitive to the darkness… that's what it was. She was so new to the force, so new to the world of the Jedi that perhaps just the tiniest fragmented piece of darkness was enough to overcome her senses. Maybe… just maybe… that was the explanation. She could really only pray it were true.

"Samirah! Carth!" The voice broke Samirah from her thoughts and made her pull her face from Carth's shoulder where they were nestled in the underbrush.

"Bastila?" She sat up, Carth moving with her, his arms still wrapped securely around her like she was getting ready to vanish again.

The moment he saw her fall from that basket… he wasn't letting go of her again if he could help it.

Bastila hurried across the camp, her frantic eyes searching for both Carth and Samirah before laying eyes on them as they emerged from their hiding place. Bastila didn't even think twice before she took off into a sprint, throwing her arms around Samirah as they both tumbled to the floor. Carth had had his arm still around Samirah's waist and was forced to let go as Bastila took hold of her. Both Carth and Samirah were shocked by the unexpected show of affection and it nearly brought tears back into Samirah's eyes as she held her friend close.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again! Do I make myself clear Samirah Alda?" Bastila's voice was stern and yet, even with all her efforts, Samirah could still detect the worry and relief that billowed from her. "If it wasn't for your uncanny ability to cause trouble wherever you go, we might never have found you…"

She pulled away, allowing Samirah some space to breathe. She scanned Samirah over, frowning at the debris that was stringed in her hair and the few scrapes that were scattered across her skin. For the most part, the fall from the basket didn't seem to have done too much damage… but something lingered. The _touch_ of someone else… another… presence that remained: the presence of a foreign force power.

"I-I'm sorry…" Samirah murmured, looking away. "I was trying not to be too difficult but one thing just led to another and I found myself running errands." She gave them a sheepish smile, pushing strands of her un-kept hair behind her ear before a thought occurred to her.

"Wait… where's Canderous?" Bastila rolled her eyes.

"On our way to find you, we were ambushed by our old friend Calo Nord. With a bit of difficulty—not by much I assure you—we made sure that he would trouble us no more. Canderous was not satisfied, as per usual with killing his long time _nemesis."_ The words left a vial taste in her mouth as she spoke. Jedi were above petty rivalries... "During our search for you, immediately following the fight, we ran into a group of Mandalorians and despite our protest, he insisted we continue to look for you while he took care of the _shameful excuses for Mandalorians, _as he declared them." Bastila's mock impression of the crazed Mandalorian that they called their own made the corners of Samirah's mouth twitch into an almost smirk. Almost.

She shook her head, looking down again. Canderous was a vengeful spirit. Calo Nord was his biggest competitor but it never came to deadly blows… not until they had sides. Canderous had picked Samirah's side while Calo had picked Davik's. Unknowingly, Samirah was with the Republic while Davik the Sith; inevitably deciding where they stood and who they fought for in this far. Pitting them against each other in a battle that was bigger than their previous encounters. Samirah had, in her own way, done this to them and now that Canderous was left without his rival, his competitor, his adversary—it was going to drive him mad.

She needed to find him before he went on a spree. She wondered if Bastila had thought about it, or even Carth… why did they just let him do what he wanted? Did the thought never occur to them?

"What happened to you…?" Carth asked, the relief of seeing her wearing off, being replaced by curiosity and weariness. His question stirred Samirah from her spiraling thoughts with a start. "That-That fall should have…. It should have…" He couldn't finish the words and Bastila shot him a quick glare. Carth didn't look at her; he couldn't even look at Samirah. The thought of how close they were to losing her…

"I was saved."

"Saved?" Carth and Bastila spoke in unison, their heads jerking up to look at her with surprise. She just nodded slowly, looking around at the campsite. She couldn't forget the task at hand. If she stretched out with the force… she would be able to find Canderous but first, she needed to find Jolee and get his help.

Maybe he can help with Canderous. Maybe even help with Zaalbar. Whatever happened next, she was going to need the old coots help, crazy or not. He was the priority.

"And I just completed my end of the bargain…" She crossed her arms and looked at Bastila with a smirk of her own. "Now it's time for him to complete his."

* * *

"Ah, look, you've gone and found some friends, have you?" Jolee spoke over the cup of tea in his hands. He observed the house guests he had in front of him with intrigued curiosity. "I hope you don't expect me to cook dinner or perform tricks, I'm not the entertaining type." He clarified and Samirah shook her head.

She was seated across from him with Bastila beside her and Carth against the wall, his arms crossed. Carth inspected the humble abode with curiosity and intrigue. How this old man had survived so long down here, Carth would never know, nor could he fathom it. Bastila's eyes were narrowed on the old man, an action that did not escape the old man's notice as he frowned back.

"Didn't they ever teach you at that rusty old enclave that it wasn't nice to stare, missy?" Bastila batted her eyes before looking away, embarrassed. Jolee just went back to sipping his tea, his inquisitive eyes simply watching.

Bastila could feel it, but only faintly. He hid it very, very well and only a small echo of it was there but the fact of the matter was that it _was_ there. The force. He had an affinity for it and the makings of a Jedi…

"I've done as you asked and made sure that the poachers won't bother you." Samirah interjected, changing the direction of everyone's thoughts to the new task at hand. "And I did it peacefully." Jolee stayed quiet before slowly nodding.

"If you call setting a Terentatek lose on the encampment then _sure_, you did it all nice and _friendly _like. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it." He said with mock enthusiasm that only made Samirah feel bad.

"That's hardly fair of you." Bastila spoke up in Samirah's defense. Jolee set his coffee cup down on the table, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Fair, you say? And what's to say that anything is ever fair? Life isn't fair, lass. Am I supposed to be fair and sugarcoat everything for you like you're a wee child? Hm? Or perhaps I should hold your hand and shield you from the harsh reality of things?" He chuckled to himself and Bastila seethed. She was beginning to like this man less and less.

"If you had the perfect solution, then why didn't—"

"—Bastila!" Samirah interrupted. Bastila stopped momentarily before looking at Samirah, her lips in a fine line. They didn't say anything but words seemed to be conveyed in a different way.

"Because I'm too old, lass." They both turned to look at Jolee. "Though, you did complete the task and despite involving a Terentatek by mistake, you spared the men. I don't smell death on you either… _interesting…"_ He murmured the last word to himself.

"Interesting? You expected me to kill them?" She stammered, slightly shocked. "Why in the world would you expect that? What would have been gained from it?" She reasoned and he smirked.

"Plenty, I'm sure. If the planet could talk, I'm sure it would voice much but nevertheless, it cannot so it may be best not to dwell on such things. Nothing can be done about it now." He shrugged it off like they were talking about the weather, which bothered Samirah. It was like everything he said had a secret meaning behind each word. A code that needed to be decoded… but how?

"The problem is solved though, right? That's the important part. Does that mean you'll help me? Help us?" She asked carefully, trying to not set the old man on another tangent.

Instead he just smirked before leaning forward, across the table.

"Yes, of course! Let's get moving." He stated simply, getting up from his chair and scurrying around his kitchen with a grin in place.

"Wait, really? You'll help us?" Samirah leaned forward in her chair in anticipation. Jolee just snorted as he began pulling personal items down from custom made shelves and cabinets, placing them all gently in a satchel he procured from a basket.

"Well, I'm not staying down here forever! An old man can only stand the sound of Tachs making a ruckus outside for so long. Do you know how hard it is to sleep at night when they're screaming like Kowakian monkey-lizards! Absolutely dreadful! And eating the same things over and over again? Bleh!" His face scrunched up into one of disgust. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had a decent meal? Or even new tea? Too long I tell you!" He shook his fist at the air for extra emphasis.

Carth carefully moved next to Samirah as Jolee went on his tirade about the conditions he had been living in. It really was a wonder how he had managed to survive down here for so long… explained why he seemed to be so cranky. When_ was_ the last time he had a decent meal? Or a decent conversation?

"Are you absolutely sure we need this old coot?" Carth whispered. "He's half mad and I don't—"Carth was silenced by Jolee's overwhelmingly stern voice.

"Don't you know it's rude to talk about your elders like that, sunny? What are they teaching you youngsters these days?" He shouted, tossing a handcrafted spoon at Carth, forcing him and Samirah to duck. The spoon narrowly missed Carth's head, hitting the wall with a _clunk!_ "I was running around the galaxy and fighting the Sith before you were out of diapers! I may be old, but I still know a thing or two. If you want to get those Star Maps of yours, you're going to need my help." He clarified, looking pointedly at Carth.

"I noticed the old paths some time ago. You probably wouldn't have found them on your own." Carth frowned but kept his mouth shut, not wanting to give the old man anymore incentive to throw things. "There's also a Czerka repulsor field blocking the way, past the poacher camp in the east. I saw it when it was installed, so I know how to pass it." He closed his satchel and smiled at the group before him. How he did love having the upper hand.

"A repulsor field? Why on earth would they build one of those?" Samirah inquired, completely enthralled now. At first, it was just the thought of getting to that Star Map but… why would Czerka want to hide it? Did they even know what it was they stumbled upon? Did they even know it was there?

"To hide ancient secrets, of course." He spoke about it nonchalantly, shrugging it off like it was no big deal. "And maybe even a certain Wookiee you were searching for… that is, if he's in the mood for visitors. I surely hope so." He said, thinking out loud but not for long before he shrugged it off again.

Samirah just blinked at him, looking to Bastila who had yet to speak since he silenced her. She was studying the old man, making mental notes but trying not to stare and incur the old man's wrath as well. The lightsaber strapped to his waist did not escape her notice. He was a Jedi. A very adept one at that and very good at playing _coy, _to her astonishment. He defied the rules of being a Jedi, but how? It was unheard of and most certainly not acceptable…

"Now come on. I'd like to get a move on before I died on this planet." Jolee mused out loud. "Don't get me wrong, its pleasant and all but the trees… ugh…" He groaned, opening the door and ushering everyone outside.

Samirah followed Carth and Bastila out the door, allowing Jolee to take the lead through the forest. Bastila fell in step behind Jolee while Carth walked beside Samirah. Jolee started on this talk about Tachs and their need for mischief to the unfortunate Bastila while Carth fished for something out of his pack. Samirah watched him with morbid curiosity until he produced her lightsaber. He held it for a moment before offering it to her. He had almost forgotten about it.

"M-my lightsaber?" She asked in astonishment. "You found it?" She gingerly took it from him, the familiar feel of its hilt in her palm creating a calming effect immediately. She missed it. It was so much better than the feeling she got from the lightsabers she had confiscated from the Sith they had fought earlier.

Her lightsaber felt as if it was almost cleansing her.

The idea that she was still carrying the dark lightsabers around didn't make her feel too comfortable but at least she didn't have to use them. She had hers back. She would tinker with the ones in her pack until she could dispel the darkness from them… if she could. That wasn't exactly a task she was too keen on doing or even in a hurry to do. It would not hold a high place on her list of priorities. She looked at Carth, a soft smile on her face.

"Thank you…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking ahead to keep from making eye contact.

"Yeah… sure. We came across it when we were looking for you…" He said awkwardly. That feeling of possibly having lost her still stuck to him. He didn't save her and that feeling he got as he watched her slip away… it wouldn't leave him. It would stick to him forever.

"Thank you…" He looked at her as she held her lightsaber close to her chest. "Thank you for bringing it back and… thank you for coming for me."

When she looked up at him, she smiled at him with a look of both relief and happiness. He was speechless. Words failed him. Whenever he looked at her, she always seemed so strong and resolute but this look she was giving him was different. It was… fragile. She looked fragile.

"Samirah…" She raised her eyebrows, giving him her attention but he couldn't find the question he wanted to ask. "N-never mind." She gave him an odd look but didn't push it.

"All right… if you change your mind…" She said quietly, looking away sheepishly.

She had been crying.

When he found her, she had broken down into tears. What happened? What had he missed? In the time they were apart, what had happened to cause her so much grief and… pain? She didn't seem to badly wounded physically… watching her now, her face was falling and her grip on her lightsaber had grown tighter and closer to her chest. What was she thinking?

Unfortunately, it wasn't what she was thinking… it was the echoes she was hearing.

_A step closer. A step more. Unthinkable power only a few steps away… this, this is my legacy… my power._

Revan and Malak still plagued her thoughts. As they walked, she gripped her lightsaber tighter, nearly fusing the weapon to her body. Carth had returned this small piece of comfort to her and already, she could feel the darkness being pushed back to the recesses of her mind. Her only question being: for how long? When the chance arrived… she needed to speak with Bastila or even… or even Jolee. Perhaps he could offer her insight that she was missing.

Perhaps he could offer a cure.

* * *

**What did you think? Be sure to leave me a message or review to let me know :) I love hearing what you have to say about it! **

**Any pointers? Suggestions? Ideas? Or do you just want to see more of Jolee? Whatever your thoughts, send them my way :D**

**Like I said, hopefully I wont take 4 months (I'm shooting at having the next one up soon? Two weeks max and if its not out, send me angry messages to kick me into gear! I don't like keeping you guys waiting if I can help it!) **

**Thanks for reading and for being patient with me guys. And for sticking with me even when it seems I've gone rogue on you (I promise I haven't... it's just a slow process it would seem. I'm sticking to my promise of getting this story finished, no matter how long it takes!)**

**Thank you for the support and devotion! I absolutely love you all! :D No writer can ask for a better group of readers and supporters. May the force be with you all and may it strengthen our resolve.**

**~~SS~~**


	27. Chapter 26: Believing in Hope

**Disclaimer: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And Blah. And don't forget it.**

**Hello my faithful readers! It is I! Back from the Dead!**

**Or life.**

**Whichever works.**

**I apologize for my prolonged delay of this update (but it is rather long if that's any consolation) but I was prepping for a Zombie Apocolypse! And, just a quick proud moment for me- I had been prepping to run a 5k race and finally ran it over the weekend! It was a very big accomplishment for me :D What made it worth it was that they threw colored corn starch at you the entirety of the race so by the end of the race, you looked like a unicorn threw you up! Yay!**

**Besides that, I've been mostly stuck at school and work but in favor of school, I have dropped hours at work so that I may study more and (for selfish reasons :D) write more! Because I've been neglecting this story so I apologize once more. I want to keep this story going, I have so much left to tell and finally have the time again. So if you guys are willing to stick with me, I'm willing to revive this and keep going! Don't give up hope on me just yet... after all, this chapter is all about the hope. ;)**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Believing in Hope**

"_Hope is the thing with feathers  
That perches in the soul  
And sings the tune without the words  
And never stops at all."_

"That was when the Council dictated that I was to never use such methods again, but I showed them that it wasn't my teachings that were the problem. You see, about two or three weeks later, they found the same kid, huddled up in a cave on the far side of Tatooine. The kid had been lost for days in the sands, unable to find his way back home. The lad had taken it upon himself to best me and thought that by bringing down a Krayt Dragon, he would have shown the council who was the better—me or him!" Jolee laughed out loud as he told his story, the rest of the group still trying to remember what it was that set the old man on his tirade.

"What he failed to realize was that all the things I had taught him, stuck with him. That was how he managed to survive—inadvertently , through me even though he wanted to surpass me. He hated how I taught but be damned if they didn't work!" He chuckled to himself. "He never found the dragon of course, he had gone the opposite way and got all twisted up in his directions each time he came face to face with the Sand People. Absolutely refused to use his head, relied heavily on what the locals said… the idiot. Poor lad was never the same—took him a year to start talking properly again." Jolee chuckled to himself as he pushed foliage out of the way, still showing the group through the forest to Freyyr. Samirah feared that he wasn't paying enough attention to where he was going and more attention to his stories.

And if anything she had learned from this man thus far was true—he had no idea where he was going or what he was doing.

"Every time the lad ran into me on Coruscant, he would immediately go all twitchy and panicky before racing off to the distance. He never could find the courage to talk to me again after that… I warned him about those pesky dragons. The locals too!"

Jolee found himself lost in thought again as he chuckled to himself, revisiting his past through the stories he was telling. Bastila's face would scrunch up into a twisted look of confusion as she listened, her mind buzzing with puzzled thoughts about the unorthodox methods this hermit had been using. Samirah's mind, on the other hand, was still wrapping around the stories and was so enthralled in his tales, the Jedi teachings weren't bringing up any red flags in her head like they were in Bastila's. Through the bond, they were aware of each other's thoughts but only vaguely so since they were still too busy sorting their own out—they didn't need someone else's thoughts interfering with their own by any means.

Samirah looked over at Carth, wondering if he was thinking along the same lines as they were or if he had a whole different point of view on the stories Jolee was telling them just to pass the time. What was Carth thinking about presently, she wondered. If only she could just reach out with the force and pluck—

She stopped.

No, she should not wish for such things. Thoughts such as those were unbecoming of a Jedi and no matter how she may wish she knew his thoughts; she would not intrude upon them. She wasn't even sure if that was something that could be done anyway. It wasn't exactly taught at the Jedi Enclave and for good reason, she was sure. Still, she couldn't help but wish she knew his thoughts currently because he seemed to be elsewhere. Perhaps he wasn't even paying attention as Jolee started another story that involved a time before Revan and Malak were Sith Lords and before the Mandalorian Wars were even a thought. As Jolee spoke, Carth's face remained one of contemplation but not on what was presently being said by their old hermit.

She remained content with watching Carth for a moment, drinking in his features while he was unaware. She had been so sure that she was going to die the moment she fell from the basket and that she would never see him again. That thought terrified her more so then the thought of dying with so many things unfinished. Despite everything, her final thought was that she would never see Carth again, never hear him laugh or see him get so upset over a stupid decision she had made just to save a few people their troubles… the thought upset her.

She gazed at the close shaven facial hairs that gave him this husky, rugged look and the way his hair was tousled and unruly from being neglected these past few days. The look suited him very well. As well as, of course, the burnt orange jacket always present where ever he went. As she closely examined it, she could see how wore down it had become as the color faded slightly in several places and was promptly followed by the tiny blaster burns where he had narrowly escaped injury. He was always a step away from danger. Just like here though, he was always ready to jump back into the fray whenever it was needed. And his voice. The raspy sound he made when he spoke always seemed so surreal to her and just the simple thought of it made her smile...

Something Jolee had said jolted Carth from his thoughts. Jolee had been rambling on about Padawan he had once trained who ended up mucking up so bad, it hindered the Empire during a battle in space and changed a battle in favor of the Republic. Bastila had been focusing intently on what was being said by Jolee, soaking everything up and analyzing it as it was being said. She was convinced he was half crazy and that there was a reason he was living in a tree like a hermit rather than on Dantooine or even Coruscant like most Jedi were by this time in their life.

"Jolee." Carth spoke up, interrupting the hermit mid story and making him glance back at the young pilot with a questioning gaze. "With all that you know, you could very well be a Jedi Historian or something to that effect, correct?" Jolee shrugged.

"I suppose… what's it to you, lad?" He countered. Carth scratched the back of his head, wanting to say this properly and not offend the old man. Jedi were dangerous to begin with but add a bit of crazy to the mix and you had no idea if they'd fry you for tying your shoe too close to them.

"So, what I guess I'm getting at is that you decided to leave your little hermitage in the forest and come help us stop the Sith. I guess you realized this was worth coming out of retirement for, huh?"

Carth spoke in a lighter tone towards the end, a small smile forming. Jolee knew about all these great dangers in the past, he was well aware of them. Jolee was practically a walking Jedi Encyclopedia. Sure, if you asked him a question, instead of telling you what you wanted to know, he told you what _he_ wanted you to know but it didn't escape Carth that despite his fanatical ways, he knew more then what was let on.

Jolee scoffed at him with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, that's right, sonny. The Sith are the greatest evil to hit the galaxy since, well, the Mandalorians. And they're the worst thing since Exar Kun. Blah, blah, blah, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." He said with a wave of his hand. They took a turn down a darker path where the branches of the trees had drooped down, forcing them to climb over or under them. Carth's face scrunched up. Maybe he was wrong after all. Maybe he really was just an old man lost in the forest for too long.

"Okay, old man you lost me there. Are you trying to make a point?"

"Look," Jolee started, taking on an exasperated tone, "Everybody always figures the time they live in is the most epic, most important age to end all ages. But tyrants and heroes rise and fall, and historians sort out the pieces." He clarified.

"So does this make what we're doing any less important?" Samirah chimed in, ducking under a branch as Carth held it out of the way for her. "I mean, it's still something we have to do! No matter what, right? So it has to be important…" Jolee shook his head.

"You're missing the point, lass. Malak is a tyrant who should be stopped. If he conquers the galaxy we're in for a couple of rough centuries. Eventually it'll come around again, but I'd rather not wait that long. So we do what we have to do, and we try to stop the Sith. But don't start thinking this war—you're war—" He looked at them pointedly as they hit another clearing, "is more important than any other war just because you're in it."

Samirah nodded slowly. He wasn't saying that what they were doing was a fruitless thing but only that it wasn't the most important thing to ever happen. They weren't going to be legends and this wasn't the greatest evil to ever threaten the galaxy—Samirah, in an odd sort of way, understood what he was saying… it made sense.

That scared her.

"That's an interesting theory, but I don't buy it." Carth announced with a shake of his head. "The Republic stands for something; it's stood for something for fifteen thousand years. And if it falls, everything will change forever." Jolee chuckled to himself, still looking ahead as they made their way.

"You believe whatever you need too to get you through this, sonny. The bottom line is we both want to stop Malak, so let's not get hung up on the details. Let's just get back to stopping him." Carth opened his mouth to argue but Bastila shot him a stern look. She really didn't want to have to listen to another tale that this old man probably already had lined up to better describe their situation.

She'd analyzed enough.

Carth kept his mouth shut for the moment. The Republic was important. It stood for their freedom, it stood for their independence, it stood for the justice of the galaxy—so who was this old man to tell him differently? That if the Republic fell, that the galaxy would somehow, magically, be able to continue on as if it were nothing but a speck of dust? No. The Republic was more than that. He knew it was. Without the Republic, the galaxy would fall into turmoil and unrest at the hands of the Sith. At the hands of itself.

"There, you see?" Jolee's voice pulled everyone's attention to the blue field in front of them, acting as a wall. They came to a stop as the blue field rippled like water, the electrical current that ran through it as visible as the trees around them. "Beautifully subtle, isn't it? At least, compared to other Czerka equipment dumped down here."

Bastila and Samirah moved forward, inspecting the barrier that halted their progression further into the abysmal Shadowlands. The barrier was this crisp blue color, the light shining brightly into their eyes, forcing them to adjust to light they hadn't seen for hours upon hours. Kashyyyk was such a dark place, the light obstructed by the hovering trees. They had almost forgotten about light, in all honesty.

"It's only been here a short while, or the Wookiees would have disabled it. They wouldn't have had an easy time of it, though." Jolee interjected as he watched the two fiddle with it. Bastila backed away, her eyes still trained on the barrier as she spoke to Jolee.

"Why place this thing here?" She questioned, puzzled by their reasoning if they had no clue as to what it was they were cutting the rest of Kashyyyk off from. Jolee only shrugged.

"There's no telling, lass. There are others, each blocking similar points on certain paths. It is all very calculated. Very precise. Whatever the reason, there was certainly one to be had. It would have been effective if it hadn't relied on the creatures to be walking. Climbers don't have much trouble getting around it." He gestured up top were the barrier was stopped by tree. The barrier itself was only about twenty feet and was really all it needed to be to stop most anyone.

Unless of course you were a Wookiee who climbed the trees since birth—then this little toy was pointless and you wouldn't find a problem in this delicately laid out plan.

"I trust you can get past it? You said that you knew how, correct?" Samirah asked, her voice a flurry of anticipation as well as foreboding.

She was so close, she could feel the ripple through the force but only faintly. It was here. The Star Map. The trail that Revan and Malak had left behind was still imprinted upon the force like a crater in the moons of Yavin. She held her hand up to the barrier, not physically touching it but still feeling its energy wafting off like incense.

"I can manipulate it for a moment…" Jolee mumbled, moving up beside her, feeling around with his hands near the edges of the barrier. "Let me see… How did the Czerka Engineers do it…"

Samirah jerked her head around to look at him, anxiety welling up inside of her like a balloon. Certainly he would remember something as crucial as this, right? Certainly he wouldn't forget…

"Oh for the love… please tell me you haven't forgotten already…" She asked quickly, earning a sharp look from the hermit. He stood up straight and pointed a stern finger at her making her feel the part of a child who was caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

"You just pipe down, lass! Old Jolee has forgotten nothing! Now let an old man work, will you? The youth of this day and age just get more impatient by the decade…" He mumbled again, kneeling beside the barrier and shaking his head.

Everyone remained quite as he continued to mutter, closing his eyes as he placed his hands in front of the barrier. Samirah could feel it through the force as he manipulated it to do his work, forcing it to intertwine itself with the barrier. The blue wall faltered and shifted before sputtering into nothingness.

"Ahh, there we go." He said, stepping back and dusting his hands off with a smug smile. "It won't stay down long so I suggest that we keep moving. You should also be aware that these are the most dangerous depths of Kashyyyk. A few surprises wait for us, I'll wager." He said with a cryptic tone in his voice.

For once, Samirah wished that if someone knew something was going to happen that they told her before it was sprung upon her like a death trap waiting to happen. Which was usually the case she ended up being presented with when the time finally came rolling around the corner. It was always a surprise.

They hurried past the barrier into the darker portion of Kashyyyk and as they crossed over, both Samirah and Bastila felt the wave of darkness strike them like a gust of wind. They looked at each other for confirmation, feeling the uneasiness settle in the pits of their stomachs. They were getting closer. Much closer. The dark side of the Force was strongly present here, covering the land in a dark shroud of protection. Of malice.

"So this is it…" Carth mumbled, standing beside Samirah. His close proximity made her feel safe. Her hand started to move towards Carth but when her brain registered what it was she was doing, she jerked it away, hiding it behind her back. Her sudden movement caught his attention briefly. He looked at her quizzically before she hid her blushing face and walked forward.

As they moved, they heard the field flicker behind them before coming back to life. So this was it. Samirah looked behind her, watching it pulse like a heartbeat. She really hoped that Jolee would remember how to do this once they returned again. Bastila and Samirah took the lead, allowing Jolee and Carth to follow behind them. Jolee was content with his part and settled back in order to see how they would accomplish the rest.

Samirah and Bastila kept their guard up, their lightsabers fitted perfectly into their grip as they walked carefully. The forest was covered in this foreboding feeling—it followed them where ever it was they turned. Samirah kept her mind open and her ears on alert to listen and feel for anything that could take them on a turn for the worst.

"Do you feel that?" Bastila asked Samirah quietly, trying not to alert the others. It may have been a foolhardy notion since she was pretty sure Jolee could feel it too but she knew he would speak nothing of it.

"Something… up ahead…" Samirah agreed. Within moments, they could hear the battle that they had felt through the force. They sped up their pace by only a smidgen, the sounds growing louder the closer they got. They couldn't see the figures fighting but it could be heard by everyone in the party.

"Don't make any sudden sounds—we don't want them to turn their fight upon us." Bastila ordered quietly to everyone. Samirah tightened the grip on her lightsaber, stepping around the brush and ducking below vines that swooped around them. Samirah strained her eyes to peer at the battle that was beginning to become clearer. A figure was kneeling down as another fought a one on one battle as two others simply watched.

"… Swine!" Their voices were becoming clearer. As they approached, one of the fighters chuckled at the remark and Samirah froze as she recognized the chuckle. Bastila looked at her and they both made the realization at the same moment.

"Is that all that I am? At least I have the decency to wait until you have yourselves armed. I could have taken you out easily but it wouldn't have held any honor to do so. So what does that make you, I wonder? Honor less scum!"

Canderous.

Samirah rolled her eyes at the incredulity of his remark. Canderous was quite possibly the only human being she knew who could have a fight to the death and hold a perfectly normal conversation as he did so. She remained on alert but re-fastened her lightsaber to her hip. Bastila looked at her in disbelief.

"What do you think you are doing?! He's—" Samirah shook her head.

"You think he'd let us hear the end of it if we interrupted a fight between him and another Mandalorian? He won't lose. He has too much pride for that to happen." She said with a smug smile as she watched the fight continue.

It was obvious that the fight wouldn't last long and that Canderous was only toying with them but what didn't escape Samirah's notice was the Wookiee that was behind Canderous. He was kneeling on the floor, his arm clutching his abdomen as what looked like blood, poured out of his wounds. His body swayed and he grumbled in pain but refused to fall. He was close to death. Too close. Samirah watched the other Mandalorians carefully, knowing full well that if she went to the Wookiees aid that they would notice her and strike. If she could avoid their notice, then all would be well. It had nothing to do with her handling it herself but everything to do with Canderous' code of ethics.

Well, it wasn't really a code as it was a personal testament.

Not taking the time to double think it, Samirah began to quietly move away from Bastila and towards the Wookiee. Bastila's eyes were drawn away from the fight and to Samirah as she moved away. She wanted to call out to her but she also didn't want to alert the Mandalorians to their presence. As Samirah neared the Wookiee, Canderous delivered a brutal blow to his opponent—the death blow. The Mandalorian cried before hitting the ground. The other two brandished their weapons and set out on the attack. Canderous just grinned as he spun the blade around in his hand.

While Canderous kept the Mandalorians occupied, Samirah hurried to the Wookiee's side as he grumbled at her in suspicion. His eyes were weary and she could tell he could not stay conscious for much longer.

"…**Great Bacca… let this outsider be… different than… the slavers…"** He mumbled to her as she tried to ease him onto his back. He tried to fight her but didn't have enough strength to do so.

"I am no slaver, I'm just here to help. Let me take a look at your wounds…" She said as reassuringly as she could. The Wookiee was too weak to argue and accepted that he could do nothing to change whatever outcome came from this—good or bad.

Samirah removed his hand from his abdomen and winced at the intensity of his wound. If it wasn't healed, it could prove to be fatal. Soon.

"Nasty wound he has there." She turned to see Jolee kneeling behind her with an intense look on his face. "Won't last long if we leave it untreated… not sure a Kolto pack will do him much good."

The Wookiee roared in dismay. Samirah comforted the Wookiee as best she could while trying to think quickly. She didn't know how to use the Force for healing… it wasn't exactly in her arsenal of abilities the Council had taught her. She learned the basics and the rest was left up to her to learn on her own: one of which was the healing techniques.

Come to think of it, the closest thing to a master she had was Bastila but even then… she was still a Padawan. She never received a proper master…

"What do we do…" She said quietly to herself but knowing that Jolee could barely hear her.

"Oh come on lass, surely you don't expect me to do all the work?" He looked pointedly at her.

"Jolee, I don't really think there's time… I-I can't heal like you do…I don't know how…"She admitted. The battle behind them was not forgotten to them as Canderous downed one of the Mandalorians effortlessly. The other was biding his time.

Jolee grabbed Samirah's hand and placed it over the warm blood that oozed from the Wookiee. She flinched for a moment before she felt a warmth—not the warmth of the blood but a different warmth—engulf her hand and flow into the Wookiee.

The Force.

Then she felt it. The darkness of the Force seeping through. Her mind was so open to the Force that she felt... vulnerable to its whispers. It made her shiver. She couldn't do it. What was she doing here? She wasn't strong enough for this mission, she wasn't strong enough to defeat the entirety of the Empire! She couldn't even save Taris, how was she supposed to save the galaxy?! This was insane. This was nuts. Doubt filled her- pain, suffering, worry, death... She felt it coming. The Dark Side of the Force was close. It was so close... too close.

_Let it take over..._

No!

"Concentrate." Jolee commanded, whisking her back to the moment at hand. She mentally shook herself, focusing as he told her what to do. This was not the time to let the darkness have her! She was not going to be its easy prey. She would not let it have her. She had to believe. Bastila was here, Jolee was here, everyone of her companions believed in her. Believed in what they were doing.

Carth believed in her... and that brought her hope on its own.

"Think of the force as not a weapon, but a thing to help and cure, lass. Feel… feel as I do." As he said it, she could feel as he searched through the Wookiee and feel his heartbeat. It was slow, slower than it should have been. She felt the wounds and could feel where each one was. Where the tissue had been torn, where the blood was thin, where the infections began—she felt every inch of the Wookiee with the Force. She shivered as Jolee concentrated, allowing the force to do its work.

He was mending the wounds. The flesh was binding together, the blood was replenishing itself—the body was literally healing itself as the Force flowed through and dictated it to do so. The Wookiee moaned and grumbled while the healing properties of the Force wrapped itself around him and Samirah was feeling it as if she was doing it. It felt as if she had control over this power. It was warm and tingly—just like the first time Jolee healed her from her fall but much more tremendous. She wasn't as injured as this Wookiee was.

She felt a tingle through the Force as the final Mandalorian fell behind her, ending the fight that had been waging on. It was just a barely heard whisper through the Force. It was present and then gone as her attention was brought back to the healing power Jolee was showing her. The Wookiee was mended. As the power finished, Jolee rocked back into a sitting position, his brow covered in sweat as he pulled away.

"I'm too old for this…" He muttered, wiping at his brow. Samirah felt this sparkle in her hands, the remnants of the healing properties. The Wookiee slowly sat up, careful not to disrupt the effects of the healing he had just undergone.

"**I… I thank you… I would not have expected outsiders to aid me…"** His voice was strained and Samirah was sure he was still worried about his wounds. "**And you… you avenged my fallen brethren."**

When he spoke this time, it wasn't to Samirah and Jolee, it was to Canderous. Samirah turned around to see Canderous checking the bodies for anything that could prove beneficial to them.

"These Mandalorians make me sick…" He muttered, taking a helmet off and tossing it into the forest.

"**Their bodies will not last long in the Shadowlands. I am glad. The taint of them, their cowardice in hunting me and my kin while we are unarmed… the forest will consume it all…" **He spoke quietly and solemnly to them. "**I do not expect aid from outsiders and I extend to you my thanks for saving me and avenging my clan. A debt that can surely never be paid. We reward respect, even from outsiders… take this." **He pulled away a belt that he had been wearing over his chest, a belt that bore a symbol of his clan.

Samirah gingerly accepted the belt, admiring the symbols that had been emblazoned upon the cloth. She ran her fingers over the embellishments, feeling with her fingertips the contours of the belt. It was definitely too large for her to wear as a simple belt, she'd have to wrap it around her waist twice just for it to come even remotely close to fitting.

"Thank you…" She whispered and the Wookiee nodded. He attempted to get up but Samirah stopped him. "You shouldn't move yet!"

"**I am fine to move, outsider. You have healed me enough to return home and I do so with the knowledge that I am safe again. For that, I thank you." **He pushed himself up and after reassuring himself—and those around him—that he was stable, he made his way out of the Shadowlands. He did so with caution, aware that threats lingered no matter where he was.

Samirah watched until she could no longer see the Wookiees silhouette before returning her gaze back to the belt. This was not for her. She stood up, turning to Canderous as he rubbed the back of his neck to alleviate a bit of his stress. When he noticed that she was staring at him, he looked at her with a quizzical expression.

"What now, kid?" She frowned.

"Well, first off, I think this belongs to you. You fought the Mandalorians so at the very least I think you deserve the reward." Canderous looked at the belt as his face scrunched up into one of uncertainty. He slowly accepted the belt as she continued. "Secondly, how in the name of the Force did you make it on the other side of that barrier?" This made him smirk as he wrapped it around his waist twice, creating a snug fit. On Samirah, it would have just barely stayed on her hips but on him it stayed.

"Kid, I've been in this business a lot longer than you." He said with chuckle.

"I was following those loud-mouthed Mandalorians without them ever noticing and when they traveled past the barrier, I just followed after. It was simple enough to do really—they didn't even know I was here until I made them conscious of it. I waited until their plan was evident to me before I intervened but by then, they had already taken out two of the Wookiees in a surprise attack. When their element of surprise was used up, the last Wookiee became aware of what was happening and retaliated. By that time I jumped in but he was already half dead. I made sure they were aware of me before I attacked though… no honor in fighting from the shadows—I simply wanted to size them up first."

Samirah stayed quiet, listening as he spoke before nodding. She had to give the Mandalorian a bit of credit for employing a bit of tactics. In actuality, she had to give the credit to Canderous himself and not really Mandalorians in general. As far as she and every other sentient being out there knew, Mandalorians took on the _attack and go_ approach which usually involved little to no skill in secrecy and a whole lot to do with brute force. Canderous was showing her a different side. It sort of made her marvel a bit at this new aspect of Mandalorians that was rarely ever apparent to her before now. It was like getting a glimpse at something forgotten.

"Jolee, are you alright?" Samirah turned at the voice of Bastila as she was kneeling beside the old man. He was sitting down in a relaxed position, his elbows resting on his knees as he caught his breath. He waved her off with an irritated expression.

"Oh, knock it off lass. I'm just fine, a little exasperated, but fine all the same. Heh, not as young as I used to be either…" He joked mildly.

"Jolee…" He looked up at the sound of his name to find Samirah peering at him from the side. "That technique you were using… the healing…" She started.

"Yes?" He prompted, a lopsided smirk growing slowly.

"Is that… I mean… would you be able to…" She spoke slowly and quietly, earning a reproachful look from the old Jedi.

"Speak up, child. Spit it out... What is it you want? To learn? Hmm? Is that it?" She nodded.

"I mean, can you? Is that something that you can teach me?" She waited a moment, avoiding his eyes as she thought to herself.

"Why?" It was a simple enough question but it still made her jump. Why else? What other possible reason could there be for her to want to learn such a technique? "Why should I, an old, retired Jedi, take you, a stubborn, irrational and young neophyte Jedi under my wing? Hm?"

Bastila looked at Jolee and then at Samirah who fidgeted under the weight of his case. _Old_ and _retired_ he says? Bastila knew that despite those factors, he was still able to teach so long as the learner was willing to be taught. Looking at Samirah, Bastila was certain that she was up to the task… or, so she hoped.

Samirah fiddled with her fingers.

"To be able to heal people like that…" She spoke softly, looking up at Jolee as he sat on the damp forest ground. His gray eyes watching her brown ones intently not that she was looking at him. "To save them from near certain death. I want to learn to do that. I don't want there to ever be a reason why I can't save someone and if I have even the slightest chance of learning to do something that could protect people… I want to do it. I want to _learn_." She spoke earnestly and Jolee was thoughtful for a moment.

Was this a path he was willing to go down?

He bowed his head with a chuckle. How could he say no? She reminded him so much of…

"Alright, lass, alright. No need to get your robes in a bunch. I will teach you for as long as you are willing to learn but it will require a lot of practice, a lot of patience and you'll have to listen to my every word. No arguing with me, alright?" She nodded with a hopeful smile and he just shook his head.

Maybe there was more to hope for then he had originally intended. Perhaps, there was more to this journey then he had anticipated as well.

"Thank you…" She said in a small voice.

She was on the road to better protect those she cared for. If Jolee hadn't have been there when he was, after she had fallen from the basket, she wasn't sure what would have happened. Would they have found her? What if it was Bastila who had fallen, or Carth? She wouldn't have been able to help them even if she had come across them… Jolee had the means to do so. She needed his guidance.

"I think we've been delayed long enough…" Bastila interjected rather cautiously. "Jolee are you fit to move? Shall we continue or—"

"Oh don't you start coddling me, lass. I'm as fine as fine can be, I tell you!" He hoisted himself back up, dusting off his robes with his hands. "I'm fit to continue, you just carry on and Old Jolee will follow you…." He continued to mutter a few other things but not loud enough for anyone else to hear.

Bastila bit her lip in an attempt not to lash back at him. He could have simply just said he was fine and left it at that. If it wasn't for the fact that he was her elder, she may not have restrained herself to put him in his proper place. For a Jedi, he wasn't as serene as he should be. Much too rebellious and his influence on Samirah was something she would strive to prevent.

Samirah checked her surroundings; staying cautious and noting that time was still ticking by. They had yet to find Freyyr or the Star Map so things weren't going the way they had intended. It was taking too long. Bastila was right. They needed to keep going. With Malak hot on their trail and Zaalbar in the clutches of Chuundar, they needed to make quick work of the forests.

"Ok, now to find the Wookiee Chuundar spoke of and—"

"Kill him?" Samirah was taken aback. She spun around to look at who spoke, only to find that the owner of the voice was Jolee.

"What?" She replied, puzzled. His eyes watched her carefully, waiting for her reactions, for her next words to come flowing from her mouth to reveal her intentions. He had an inkling but he needed to be sure…

"That was the deal, was it not lass? You made a deal with that Wookiee to deal with Freyyr, to kill him, hm?" She shook her head fervently at him, the shock still apparent in her features.

"No! Not to kill him, Jolee, I wouldn't do that!" Samirah cried in shock. Why in the name of the Force would he think she was going to kill Freyyr? Hadn't she just asked him for training to _heal_ people? If anything, that should be proof enough that she wasn't trying to kill anyone."I'm trying to fix things, not to make them worse… I don't want to kill anyone. I plan on doing things in a way where no one has to die. I just want to talk to him and see if there's any way to free Zaalbar... I just want our friend back..."

Carth put a hand on her shoulder, an attempt to soothe her but it did nothing to alleviate the tension. She spared him a quick look before focusing back on Jolee, worry creeping its way onto her features. She didn't want him to think this way about her, she didn't want him to think she was blindly doing what she was told. They watched each other carefully before Jolee smiled and chuckled, finally looking away.

This caught her off guard. He was... was laughing...

"Curious…" He muttered before moving past her. He didn't give Samirah a chance to respond before he kept walking on. "Old Freyyr should be here somewhere… It's been a while since I last saw the old Wook but I know he's still here, can smell that breath all the way to the far moons of Yavin, I bet you."

And then it started again. As they followed Jolee, despite their grumbles, he began another story about a Wookiee he had come across during his travels several years earlier who's breath was so rancid, even a Rancor eating Gamorreans would be revolted. Samirah couldn't help the smile it evoked whenever he started—she somewhat missed the stories people had to tell. Whenever she'd frequent a Cantina in her travels, there was always a patron or two who were filled with stories from planets she had yet to travel, adventures she had yet to endure, people she had yet to meet, and wars she'd never fought. Most of the time they were tall tales of adventures they'd never had but the stories were still so enthralling that they tended to forget that they could never be true.

The only difference here was that Jolee tended to go off topic with his stories… she was sure the point was usually lost the majority of the time. What the Balmorran Flu had to do with their hunt for Freyyr, she hadn't the slightest idea but he seemed to have this notion that the two subjects had a correlation. Or maybe there was no connection, no point at all. Perhaps he just liked entertaining the idea that he was an old man and could do whatever the hell he wanted.

The creaking sounds of the forest around them gave Samirah shivers down her spine. It was cold. There was no warmth—it was like the darkness had swallowed the planet whole but she knew that it didn't reach further than the Shadowlands. It was just her imagination, she knew that, but when it swirled around you like a snake, it was hard to convince yourself otherwise. It felt like it was too big... too encompassing.

She was feeling the darkness around her again.

"You ok, kid?" Her attention was pulled over to Canderous as he observed her. He spoke in a hushed tone, careful to not raise his voice above the old man's. They did not need to incur the wrath of the hermit.

"Hmm? I'm… I'm fine."

"You seem a little… shaken up." She nodded, still observing the woods as if they held the secret to the dark side of the force. Revan has surely left this taint—knowingly or not, it was still present, imbedded into the very fibers of the trees.

"I can feel the trail… I can feel it as we go. We're close… wherever it is that Freyyr is hiding, he's hiding near the star maps. It's like… It's feeding off of him… feeding off the Force…" She murmured, her hand lifting just barely to feel the air around her. The energy was static. It was crisp. She furrowed her brow in contemplation of what she was feeling. "Or maybe he's feeding off it… I can't tell…"

Canderous looked away, focusing ahead as he let the silence take over. Samirah didn't speak again, her mind too heavily focused on what she was feeling the closer they got. The electrical current was heavy. Thick. They were on the right track.

"We're close…" This time it was Jolee who spoke. His joking tune faded away and replaced by a soft, more serious one. Everyone fell in to step behind him, the undergrowth way quieter than any of them would have liked. Bastila's calculating eyes scanned the area, staying on her toes.

Jolee's brows knitted together as he came to a stop at an arch of trees. He scoured the area with a skeptical look, scratching the top of his balding head out of confusion.

"What the confounded— Old Freyyr must be hiding out somewhere… he usually—"A roar interrupted him as they all looked up in shock as the roar echoed down at them. Samirah took no second glances before leaping out and tackling Jolee to the ground. He let out a loud gruff sound as they hit the floor, everyone else backing in shock as a Wookiee descended upon the spot where Jolee had stood.

Carth quickly helped Samirah and Jolee up to their feet, his eyes never leaving the Wookiee as he growled and roared at them in displeasure. He was in an offensive position, forcing the others to take on a defensive one, unsure of how to proceed. Bastila kept her hands up as if she was trying to calm a untamed animal.

"F-freyyr?" She spoke cautiously, earning the full attention of the Wookiee. "We mean you no—" He roared ferociously at her, making her flinch in response.e He

**e weeeeaslkdj****"More of you Czerka core-rats? Is even the heart of Kashyyyk not free from your kind?"** He roared, his voice tinged with something more than anger. Loathing. Revulsion. Malice. Words that should have never been used to describe this once strong and symbolic Wookiee. Jolee held his hands out like Bastila, his forehead scrunched up in concentration.

"He is almost feral after all this time…" He whispered as Freyyr swung his claws around at them… _Madclaw_ would have been the term Zaalbar would have used. Jolee spoke loud and clearly at him, forcing his attention to fall on him instead of Bastila. "Calm yourself, Freyyr… We are friends. Don't you remember me?"

Freyyr's eyes were unseeing. When he looked at Jolee, it was not a look of mutual friendship or of a wise leader… it was the look of an animal. Of a lost creature. Whatever it was he saw, it wasn't friends or people with a mutual cause… it was adversaries. He roared as fiercely as he could muster, his eyes narrowing in on them.

"**After years in the Shadowlands, I remember only that outsiders are not to be trusted! I'll see you dead!"** He screamed at them, striking with a quick motion at Bastila as she threw her hand up and formed a shield with the force. He beat at her protection repeatedly, forcing her down on one knee before Canderous tackled the Wookiee to the ground and rolled away as he tried to retaliate.

Carth was about to shoot at him but hesitated—he didn't want to hurt Freyyr or worse, kill him. Canderous, on the other hand, didn't much care for the formalities and instead just grinned as he squared off with Freyyr. Wasn't everyday that you got to go toe to toe with a Wookiee. Samirah simply prayed that he didn't get himself killed... because Freyyr was out for blood.

"Well, this may prove difficult." Jolee muttered as he backed away, allowing Samirah the space she needed to maneuver. She positioned herself between Jolee and Freyyr in the event the Wookiee decided he was going to go for the old man. Jolee's face was contorted into one of displeasure as he fell back against a tree. They watched Canderous try his hand at subduing the Wookiee.

Canderous grinned as his hands and feet mimicked that of the enraged Wookiee. They danced back and forth, a dangerous rhythm to follow. Bastila's hand laid readily on her lightsaber, her fingers flexing around the cold metal and a single finger tapping the button lightly. She struggled internally with the decision of killing him now or keeping him alive. He was vital to their cause… the key to Kashyyyk. Killing him wasn't a viable option if it could be avoided but at the rate it was going already, odds were falling the longer it persisted.

Freyyr bared his teeth, the sound of a feral beast ripping through the forest with such ferocity… Bastila wasn't sure if there was any sanity left to salvage inside of him. Killing him may be their only option.

"Come on you walking carpet…" Canderous goaded.

Freyyr lunged at him, Canderous side stepping and letting loose a right hook into the side of the Wookiees head as he laughed. Canderous never dreamed of fighting a Wookiee , hand to hand and yet… here he was. A Mandalorian challenge at last.

Freyyr took no time at all getting back up to his feet and swinging a punch into the side of Canderous' head. Immediately after, Freyyr rammed his whole body into Canderous, catching him off guard before pinning him to a tree. Canderous grunted as the Wookiee howled at him and pressed tightly, cutting off air. Canderous felt his feet leave the ground, dangling helplessly from below. Sweat beads formed on his brow and slowly fell down the side of his face while he gritted his teeth. One hand gripped the Wookiee's arm while the other felt around his belt for a weapon. He wrapped his fingers around the handle of a blaster and swung it around, slamming the hard metal into the side of Freyyr's head.

The Wookiee staggered backwards, inadvertently releasing the Mandalorian from his grasp before falling into an adjacent tree, reeling from the intensity of the impact. Canderous could hit hard. Canderous immediately fell down to his feet and then down to one knee as he caught his breath. He looked up to see Freyyr struggling to his feet while Samirah and Bastila quickly closed in. Samirah pulled her hand back and with as much fervor as she could muster, propelled her hand forward—knocking Freyyr back against the tree and holding him there.

"Heh, Furball has quite the punch now doesn't he?" Canderous mused, wiping a small trail of blood from his mouth. That punch, with any more power behind it, could have done Canderous in. For once, he appreciated a hard head.

Samirah stayed focused, keeping her hold on Freyyr, unaware of Canderous as he took off into a sprint and with as much strength and force as he could assemble, smashed his fist into the side of the Wookiee's face. Freyyr roared in agony, slumping against the tree. Samirah loosened up, releasing her hold on the Wookiee slightly but keeping a careful eye on him. Bastila ignited her lightsaber, keeping her guard up as she inched closer. The punch wasn't enough to cause too much damage, but it would definitely help keep him in check... for now.

Jolee moved up, placing a hand on Bastila's arm.

"Put it away child…" He murmured and she looked at him in utter astonishment.

"You can't possibly—"He looked at her with a stern look before nodding at Freyyr. Hope was lost in him. Jolee could see it. Freyyr moved around uncomfortably, roaring and moaning in pain—mental and physical.

"**I… I am beaten. Take my head, Czerka filth. You won't get another chance. So swears Freyyr of Kashyyyk." **He roared, his voice a low rumble. His eyes darted between them all.

"I'm not here to kill you… I'm only here to talk. Only a few minutes of your time if you'll let me…" Samirah narrowed her eyes on him as she stepped closer and his body tensed. He moved his head away from her but kept his eyes trained on her.

"**The words of outsiders are tainted with lies. You can't convince me otherwise."** He spat. Jolee pushed past them, shaking his head at Freyyr.

"Freyyr, can you honestly not remember me? Remember how I helped you?" Freyyr let loose a guttural roar, struggling against the invisible bonds Samirah held against him. Samirah tightened them up and he only glared at her in response.

"**Enemies! Traitors! You are no friends of Kashyyyk! All are lost… dead inside but their bodies the puppets to the darker forces… betraying us… taking us… I remember nothing but the pain, the cries, the betrayals… I remember nothing but—"**

"Do you know Zaalbar and Chuundar?" Samirah quickly interjected, pulling his attention to her. His words stumbled to a halt to focus in on her, his body going rigid.

"**What? Those are my sons. Why do you speak their names? Tell me, human!"** He screamed, attempting again to fight against the bonds yet again and forcing Samirah to hold her position. He was fighting her but she refused to let go.

"Freyyr, please, stop! My name is Samirah Alda… I came to Kashyyyk with Zaalbar." This caused Freyyr to freeze up. Moments passed by and Samirah wasn't sure if that was a sign of good fortune or bad. The Wookiee lowered his gaze to the floor.

"**To… to my shame… Zaalbar was exiled and enslaved."** He raised his head again to see Samirah and her outstretched arm, holding him with the Force. His face slumped, the rage draining from him like a bottle of liquor set in front of a Mandalorian and being replaced with something less intimidating. **"Do you… dare claim to be my son's owner, outsider?"**

Samirah was hurt by his accusation but not overly surprised. The entirety of this planet was becoming accustomed to the idea of Wookiees as slaves. She lowered her hand, releasing her hold on the Wookiee which alarmed the others as they readied their weapons. He fell forward into a crouch, preparing to attack if the time arose. Carth nervously glanced over at Samirah. What was she doing? He could attack them at any moment now that he was free from her hold.

"No… He only follows me because he has sworn a life-debt. I do not claim him as my slave nor do I claim to be his owner—that is what separates me from Czerka. " Samirah declared openly. Freyyr remained quiet, lowering his stance.

"**A life debt? Then he sees something of worth in you. I will listen… cautiously. Gullibility has harmed me in the past… If I had seen the lies of Chuundar, he would have been exposed as a slaver."** He slammed his fist into the tree, sending a tremble through its form. Samirah flinched but kept her eyes on Freyyr as he fell back against the tree, sliding down into a sitting position. **"Zaalbar… would not have been exiled… I did not believe Zaalbar's claims; I believed the elder boy, as tradition dictated. The shame of Zaalbar's attack blinded me…. It forced my hand…" **

"What… happened?" The pain Samirah felt from Freyyr was etched into the force like stone carvings. She felt his ache, his woe, his shame—as if every bit was her own and that hurt her more than any knife. He regretted everything.

"**Zaalbar saw it first."** He started, looking up through the canopy as if seeing the events playing out in front of him again. **"He learned that Chuundar was dealing with Czerka, leading them to our hunting parties. Chuundar would blame disappearances on the dangers of the Shadowlands. Zaalbar was crazed when he found out. He attacked Chuundar with his claws… I thought he had gone mad… shed his honor. I was bound by the old ways."** He buried his head in his hands. Samirah inched closer to him, despite the worried glances Carth and Bastila shot her.

She kneeled down in front of Freyyr, forcing him to look at her despite his grief.

"So Zaalbar was exiled. When did you learn the truth?"

"**A year later..."** His roar was quieted by the regret that weighed heavily on his words. **"By then, Chuundar had spread lies of my own madness. I had no allies when I confronted him. He and his Czerka guards attacked me. I had to retreat to the deepest Shadowlands, but even there they followed."**

Jolee nodded, stepping forward.

"That's when I first saw him. I helped his pursuers lose him for a moment." His face was full of pity and compassion—a look that was foreign to Samirah when she looked at the hermit. He never seemed the sort who would feel distress for others. She always assumed that he had been turned bitter by his exile in the woods of Kashyyyk for so long. That he would see everyone's miseries as faults of their own, nothing more. "Do you remember me now, Freyyr?" Jolee pleaded.

Freyyr looked at him, blinking to clear his eyes as if a film had been placed over them and only now was he able to be rid of the hindrance. He was holding back what Samirah could only assume were tears left unshed for so many years. He wiped at his eyes, howling in discomfort and in exhaustion. Shame rolled off of him like a wind from the wings of a Krayt dragon.

"**Yes, I—I do. I am sorry, my friend, about attacking. It's been so long since I have offered my trust, or accepted that of someone else..."** Jolee nodded again, with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

He had his old friend back. It was almost warming to the heart to see compassion in Jolee and a spark of hope in Freyyr. Samirah started to speak once more when her comlink sparked. She was startled at first before hearing fractured words. She listened intently, trying to make out the sounds before the connection died. Something was blocking the signal. She sighed in slight frustration as she tinkered with the device, slightly side tracked from her predicament with the exiled Wookiee chieftain.

Samirah stood and walked away from the two momentarily as she focused on the comlink. Who was trying to get into contact? Bastila's eyes never left the Wookiee but she was more or less a little more relaxed about the situation—but by only a small bit. Carth, on the other hand, had all eyes on Samirah.

"_Samirah—" _He whispered feverishly to her, catching her full attention, "_—Just moments ago, he was trying to kill us! Do you really think it's ok to turn your back on him?"_

Samirah glanced back over her shoulder at Jolee and Freyyr, her body growing weary with the thought of having to watch her back every moment of every day. Seemed like it was all she did...

_**It's been so long since I have offered my trust, or accepted that of someone else...**_

The Wookiee's words sounded so much like her own sometimes...

Hadn't she had enough of that as a Scout? A life of paranoia? Her face showed her weariness as she watched Freyyr bury his head in his hands again. A father. A father ashamed. A leader forced into exile. He's lost everything... What it must feel like to have your trust betrayed… Jolee looked to her as he felt her gaze on them. The expression on his face… right now, he was trusting her. He was trusting Freyyr. Freyyr was trusting him... Trust. How long had it been since someone truly trusted her? With absolute trust.

What was she hoping to accomplish here? How had she been hoping things would progress? Nothing was ever simple.

"He won't hurt us now…" She said quietly, looking back to them. "He's broken—mentally and physically. He needs help. He needs _our _ help. We have to do something to put everything back in order. It's a mess here..."

"They always need our help, Samirah." Bastila said, her eyes pulling away from Freyyr to look at Samirah. "As Jedi, people will always ask that you help them. They will show you their weakness, their shame, their regrets, their very lives and leave you with the decision to help them. But there is only so much that we can do to help. We cannot fix a broken family or the wounds one acquires over time... that is something they must fix on their own. You will exhaust yourself beyond even your extraordinary capabilities..."

"So what, you're saying we should just walk away?" Samirah replied quickly. "Bastila, we can't do that. _I_ can't do that. I can't just turn my back on this, not when I know that there is something that can be done... even if it's only a fraction of what they need, it's something. You want to go back to the _Ebon Hawk _and wait for us? Fine. Go. I can finish this with or without your help but I am not going to walk away from this. I'm not walking away from him." She gestured over at Freyyr, not needing to spare them a look. Bastila held her hand up in an attempt to calm Samirah. She wasn't trying to incite frustration in her.

"That's not what I'm suggesting—I only want you to be aware that there are times when you can't do everything. We will help him where we _can. _Carth is right, however. We do not know how far gone he is down the path of being what they call a _madclaw_. How can we be sure he will not turn against us?"

"And how can you be sure I won't turn to the Dark Side if the moment is right? How can you be sure that I won't find my friends to one day be my foes?" Samirah countered. Fear lit up in Bastila's eyes but she clamped down her mouth, refusing to say anything. "This entire mission is based on risks we take and the decisions we make."

"That's not the same thing—" Carth butted in, shaking his head.

"It is, Carth." She stated, turning her attention to him as he pursed his lips.

"We just don't want to take any unnecessary risks is all. If he attacks us again, we'll have to retaliate and possibly kill him."

"He won't." She declared with finality before turning away from them, the comlink forgotten. "I'll guarantee it and stake my life on it. You won't have too. If you don't want any part in this, go back to the ship..."

She knew she had no reason to be angry with them. They were looking out for her. She knew that. They just didn't understand her need to help him. That's what Jedi were about, weren't they? They were supposed to help people... if not for that, what was she? What was a Jedi? How many Jedi turned their back on those who would need help? She vowed to never turn a blind eye when she could do something to change the curving tides. She just couldn't help but wish they would trust her a little more. Could they not just trust her judgment?

She approached Jolee who raised a curious eyebrow at her. Freyyr didn't say anything, nor did he even lift his head to look at her. Whatever conversation had just transpired between the two of them, she hadn't the faintest idea but she assumed it was something she need not inquire about. It had nothing to do with her. She had other things in mind.

"What happens now, Freyyr?" He finally looked at her, a stifled moan echoing from his throat. Perhaps he was still breaking...

"**That would depend on you, Samirah Alda. You will either kill me or decide that I may yet benefit my people. There is a way I might challenge Chuundar, but it would take a lot to convince people they have been lied to."** He offered.

"How? Everyone is on his side?" There was a way to fix this? Finally, a possibility of making right with this world. If everything could somehow be restored, it would be a step in the right direction.

"**He has a strong web of lies, but if I appeal to the traditions of my people, I might be able to gather support. There is a legend of a great warrior from the old times. Bacca was his name, and he is greatly revered."** The name rang bell in Samirah's head. She was sure she had heard many Wookiees refer back to _Bacca._ **"Bacca found a crashed starship, our first hint of life elsewhere. He was a cautious old Wook, and feared the taint of invaders. He constructed a vibroblade from the wreckage. It has long symbolized our independence. Only destined leaders have held it..."**

Samirah knew exactly where he was going with this. She stayed quiet for a moment, acutely aware of the eerie silence behind her. He had caught the attention of the others with his story.

"Where might I find it?" She finally asked, an irritated sigh coming from one of her companions behind her but she didn't dare look back at them. There was little time for games and little time for trying to play it safe. Right now, Kashyyyk was in a state of turmoil and Zaalbar's life was in her hands. She could only pray that Chuundar did not do anything hasty. Freyyr laid back his head against the tree, looking at the canopies above him. When he sighed, it was not out of agitation but out of despair.

"**That is the problem."** He roared softly. **"It was the symbol of our great chieftains for centuries, but it was damaged a generation ago in ritual battle. Here in the Shadowlands, Rothrrrawr fought the Great Beast. He sought a challenge, but this arrogance got him more than he could handle. He survived, but the blade of the sword stayed in the creature's hide. Our tales say it was taken because we had become undeserving. The hilt is still in the court of our chieftain… with Chuundar."** He looked at her once more, his eyes looking straight through her it seemed and she knew what he was getting ready to ask.

It was the same look the council had given her before each trial. It was the same look Bastila had given her before they set off on this potentially suicidal mission and it was the same look Chuundar had given her before giving her the daunting task of doing his dirty work.

**"If the blade could be found, Samirah Alda, tradition could cast doubt on his rule."**

"Describe the creature. Where can I find it?" There was no hesitation. No doubt.

"Samirah!" Carth interjected , "this is ridiculous, it's dangerous! You're being irrational about this." She turned to look at him, taking a deep breath.

"Carth… all I'm asking is that you trust me. I can do this. It'll fix everything." She assured, a weary smile taking over. She was tired. Tired of fighting him, of fighting people and of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Carth started to open his mouth but stopped.

"As… As long as you know what you're doing…"He slowly conceded, turning around and walking a few paces away. Samirah returned her attention to Freyyr who watched with growing curiosity. A few moments trickled by before he spoke.

"**Many have tried to hunt this beast, but only a few who have seen it have lived to tell the tale."** Freyyr continued, gauging her reaction. Perhaps this task would be fatal to her as the Soldier thought. He hated sending her out like that but… it needed to be done if any bit of order was to be restored. "N**one have ever managed to kill the creature. Many years ago, when I was far younger than I am now, a Jedi came to hunt the creature… a proud and boastful young man. Like many before him, he did not return. The beast is cunning. It will not appear if there is an overwhelming number waiting to slay it. But if you gather in small numbers, we know how to lure it out. Fresh blood will draw it out. Before Chuundar's rule put an end to the ritual, fresh kills were often left as offerings in the south of this area."**

"I will try to find it, Freyyr. You have my word. Is there any other piece of advice you can offer me?" She asked and he nodded slowly.

"**Yes…There is a place of ritual south of here. If the Great Beast is to be lured out of hiding, it must be done there, using the old ways. You need the body of a viper Kinrath. Such bait would be tempting for the creature. Find a way to display it." **Samirah nodded.

"I won't let you down. I _will_ put everything back in its place, Freyyr. I promise." Freyyr looked at her and gave her what she could only assume to be a hint of a smile. A look of hope.

"**I will stay here and try to think of what I will say to Zaalbar. I have wronged him. I hope he can forgive me... Please, Samirah Alda, find the blade of Bacca's sword. I must make things right."** He pleaded with her and she nodded. This was a task that she simply could not fail, no matter the cost. It had to be dealt with.

So she took a deep breath and turned around to look at Carth. He needed to understand.

He had his back turned to them, a hand rubbing the temple of his head. She slowly stepped closer to him, but keeping a good amount of distance between them. He turned his head slightly to look at her and sighed.

"I-I know." He took a deep breath, looking at Freyyr as he and Jolee spoke quietly. He turned around to look at her fully. "We have to help them. I know we do. But fighting things that other, _more experienced, _Jedi couldn't even kill… well, it—it's crazy! Samirah, you have to see where I'm coming from, right? I'm worried. I'm worried about you. I just don't want to see you hurt..." He confessed.

There was silence. Samirah was looking down, not meeting his eyes. There was no anger coming from him… he wasn't angry. He was concerned. Instead of making her upset, it made her want to smile. He cared. She knew that. She looked at him, her brown eyes searching his and a small smile etched on her face. She took a few steps closer and on an impulse, threw her arms around his neck.

He froze. He was taken by surprise at her suddenness. A few moments passed before he slowly encircled his arms around her waist, burying his head into the side of her neck and the end of her ponytail. Her scent filled his senses—crisp apples and blossoming trees…

"_It's ok…"_ she whispered. "_I'll be ok. This is something that I have to do, I can't just ignore these things. That is not the way of a Jedi—that is not the way of me. Please, please, please believe in me and trust that I can do this. I can't do this without you… I need to know you believe in me." _She admitted, holding on tighter to him.

He returned her gesture with a tighter hug of his own. Right now, she was safe in his arms again… a feeling that could never be compared to anything else in the world. Trust. How many times must trust be the one thing intruding on his life? The people he cares about? He can't let trust interfere any longer. No more. No more…

"All right, Samirah…" He conceded, "All right. I believe in you. I always have. Just… just make sure you're careful… Do that, and I'll believe in you, always." He pulled away, wanting to get a look at her face. He put a hand on each side of her face, holding her careful as he spoke. "Don't do anything reckless."She nodded with a smile.

"How can I, knowing that you're always there for me..." She said with a playful smile. The first bit of relief hitting her since... she wasn't sure when.

How she ever got mad at this man, she'll never know. He had his own way of making up for things. They stood in a comfortable silence, just staring at each other for a while, forgetting completely about the world around them. It was like they were conveying thoughts to each other without actually speaking. An acknowledgement of trust. A worry for each one's safety. A hope for the future…

Someone clearing their throat brought the two back to the real world. Samirah, startled by the sound, jumped back and spun around to meet Canderous' glinting eyes. He just smirked at her as he dropped the corpse of a dead Kinrath on the ground beside her. When did he do that? Where had he gone? Surely that much time hadn't passed... had it?

"Oh don't mind me, I'm just taking care of a few things… you guys just keep on doing whatever it is you were doing." He teased, making Samirah turn a rosy shade of red. Carth rubbed the back of his head, laughing nervously as he shot Samirah a glance or two.

What _had _they been doing? Starring into each other's eyes? Made them sound like school children...

"Y-you killed a Kinrath?" Samirah asked, looking for a change in topic. Canderous nodded slowly, keeping eye contact with Samirah. He was going to drop the subject for now but he wanted her to know that it wasn't completely forgotten.

"Overheard the Wookiee talking about a beast that no one else has been able to kill—thought it sounded interesting." He kicked the creature over for emphasis. Samirah knelt down beside it, grabbing a nearby twig—which was practically a branch in this over grown forest—and poked the spider like creature with it.

"Now, we just have to find where it is the creature's hiding out." She mused, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Samirah…" She popped her head up and looked at Bastila as she approached. "There is one other matter of business you have left to discuss with the Wookiee." She stated pointedly, nodding in his direction.

It took Samirah a moment before it clicked. She had forgotten one very crucial thing. The entire point of this entire journey. She stood up and moved quickly to Freyyr's side. He looked at her with uncertainty as she knelt down beside him once more.

"There is one last thing I must ask of you, Freyyr… one thing I must do while I'm here and I think you can help me with it." She began, earning his full attention.

This was the reason she was here. This was everything. Without this, she would never be able to match Malak in this war. Without this, the Republic was doomed. Everything was riding on these maps and she silently berated herself for allowing that slip of the mind.

This map carried the hope.

There was so much hope in all that they were doing—she couldn't possibly fail. She smiled hopefully at Freyyr. He was the only one who may have had an inkling of what they needed.

"I'm looking… for a Star Map."

And just like that, they were a step closer.

* * *

**Fin.**

**How'd it go? You enjoy it? I appreciate all and any comments, reviews or just quirky tid bits. Tell me what you had for lunch if you want :) Any advice? Too much of something? Too little? I'm open to anything. :D I hope you guys enjoyed this and I'll be updating again soon!**

**I appreciate you all for being faithful and for being wonderful. Maybe, just maybe, I might be apt to giving out sneak peaks to the reviewers and faithful readers who're are sticking this out with me ;) A sneak peak at the future... just a thought. Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you, my wonderful reader,**

**~SS~**


	28. Chapter 27: Mastery is Key

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of it's character, however, Disney apparently does now... Lucky nerf herders...**

**Hello, wonderfully acclaimed readers! I know, I know, I'm a terrible, terrible person and author for making you guys wait so long when I had been so sure that it would not take this much time to update. However, the Force works in mysterious ways it would seem... **

**So my sincerest apologies to everyone.**

**Without further adieu, please enjoy the chapter...**

* * *

**Mastery is Key**

"_You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."_

The beast fell before her.

Then everything went white, for a brief moment, before bringing her back to the Shadowlands. That moment though, felt much longer.

It was a lifetime.

Samirah breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath before collapsing into a sitting position. Canderous grinned, hoisting his weapon onto his shoulder and approaching the now dead beast. He kicked it once, for measure, before reaching for Bacca's blade. Years and years of being embedded into the creatures back had caused the skin to grow around the blade, sealing it within the beasts body. He pulled with all his might, freeing the blade from the creature and earning a slight cut on his palm since it was simply just a blade without it's hilt. Nothing but naked metal. He felt triumphant nonetheless, for this was a creature that was in Wookiee legends. A creature only worthy of a few.

A foe worthy of any Mandalorian.

Samirah knew, the moment she saw the beast, what it was. The thing the Wookiees feared was indeed the creature she had been warned about at the Enclave. She had no doubts about it... the energy that radiated from this beast proved that it was a Terentatek. A creature formed through the dark side of the Force. Whether through Sith Alchemy or simple exposure to the darker nature of the Force, Terentatek's were known to be Jedi Killers.

They feeded off the Dark Side, growing stronger with every whiff. That's how it had come to be so powerful; the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk were a breeding ground of dark energy. Her only guess was that the Star Map was the culprit of this immensely strong creature. She'd never fought one before. Without the help of her friends, she probably would never have won either. It took the entire group to finally win out against this creature. What made it difficult for Samirah was its taint of the Dark Side...

This was the creature she had seen and feared when she had remedied the Poacher situation...

"You're a step closer, lass." She looked up at Jolee standing beside her. He was watching Canderous fiddle with the blade of Bacca, bemused by the Mandalorian's fascination.

"Yeah... there may be hope yet for this planet... all I can do is try." Jolee chuckled, giving her a look from the corner of his eyes.

"You're doing more than just trying, child. You're succeeding." He walked away, leaving her to smile softly after him. He passed Bastila as she tiredly made her way to Samirah, absently wiping at her robes.

They had been in this darkness too long. Through their bond, Bastila could feel Samirah's body wearing out. That was a bad sign. If her body grew tired, then her mind would grow tired and that's when the darkness would strike. That was when it would smile and weave itself into every crevice of your heart. She worried about Samirah. She worried a great deal. No matter how strong the young Jedi appeared to everyone on the outside, Bastila was constantly aware of the battle that took place inside her every day. Samirah was still adjusting.

Samirah looked at her and grinned, making Bastila falter in step.

"Did you see it, Bastila?" She urged and Bastila only tilted her head.

"See what?" Samirah only sighed, shaking her head as she looked away.

"No, it's ok… you will. Everything's going to change here. It all started with that blade." She said, nodding towards Canderous as he fiddled with it. Jolee proceeded to say something to the Mandalorian, presumably about how he was handling the artifact. "The moment the beast fell, the Terentatek, I saw it… I saw what Kashyyyk used to be… before all of this. Before Chuundar… before the slavery… "

In that flash of light… she was overwhelmed with this sight of Kashyyyk. Czerka hadn't even dug their claws into its inhabitants yet- Kashyyyk was still a safe haven for Wookiees. It was like she was walking through the trees, seeing them as they once were. Seeing them as the proud race of Wookiees they had been, rather than treated as simple slaves. She walked among them as if she had been there herself. In that burst, she not only saw it but she felt it as well. It was as if the Force was granting her a vision of what Kashyyyk used to be and of what it could be again.

If they succeeded.

She hoisted herself up to her feet and dusted off her robes, smiling to herself. This time, the vision wasn't shared with Bastila... was it only meant for Samirah? Did the Force only want her to see what it was Kashyyyk had been? Whatever the reason, Samirah was determined to fix the damage Czerka had inflicted... whatever was left to repair.

"The map should be down this path, lass..." Jolee murmured, looking down a path near where they had entered. He looked back at her, his face neutral and void of any real emotion. Samirah walked to his side, her eyes on the path before them. This was it.

"Canderous, I think we can handle it from here," Samirah looked over her shoulder at the Mandalorian as he wielded the blade around. He stopped to look at her, knitting his brows. "Would you care to go back to Freyyr with the blade? We'll meet you back there once we find the map." Canderous shrugged but nodded his head.

"Alright kid, I think that was most of the heavy lifting anyway. Come on, Soldier Boy." Carth turned to look at him in suddenly, astonished that he was suddenly included in on this. Why in the galaxy would Carth go with him?

"What?" Canderous winked at him, throwing a loving arm over his comrades shoulder. Carth immediately tensed up, not trusting the sudden sign of _affection,_ if you could call it that, coming from Canderous.

"You heard me," He grinned, "They don't need our help to read a _map._ Come on, boy. Let's leave Jedi business to the Jedi. It's pretty much basic from here on out and we'll do more good getting the battle plan ready." Carth shot Samirah a worried glance but she did nothing to argue with Canderous. She actually poured salt on the wound by... was she waving good-bye at him?

"B-b-but what about..." Samirah smiled meekly, wiggling her fingers at him as Canderous began pulling him away, his hand gripping tightly to his shoulder and pulling him backwards. There was no escaping. Damn it!

"We'll be fine, Carth. All we need is the map and we'll meet back up with Freyyr. It's time to start formulating a plan for when we attempt to take back his home and Zaalbar. That's where we're going to need your help the most." Carth couldn't believe it... he was being sent back already?

Samirah continued to wave before Bastila said something quietly to her and then they turned to continue further into the forest, Jolee leading the way. Samirah casted him one last look before they were lost in the shadows of the forest.

"Sa...Samirah..." Carth whispered, unable to speak louder.

Before he could say more, he tripped over a lose branch and fell back against the forest floor. Walking backwards had not helped him keep his balance either- nor did the Mandalorian's hand on his shoulder, dragging him backwards. Canderous came to a halt, rubbing his head with his now free hand. The other was still holding tightly to the Bacca's blade. Carth didn't move. He just laid there.

"Of all the blaster-brained, _Di-kut_... Soldier boy, you've got to get yourself together... this is almost painful to watch..." Canderous huffed, shaking his head. "No, wait, it _is _painful to watch...You do her no credit..."

"What do you know?" He spat back, sitting up. He rubbed his face with both hands, taking deep breaths to calm himself. They were separated again...

"What do I know?" Canderous started to chuckle, leaning back against a tree and crossing his arms. He looked up at the canopy of trees above them and smiled. Ignorant Soldier boy. Canderous knew, without a benefit of a doubt that those two egg heads had a thing for each other but at the very same time, hated each other. The Twi'lek understood this better than he did but it didn't make it any less obvious. Again, it was painful to watch sometimes.

"I know that she's childish, too giving, too... too nice and girly." He started, thinking of when he first met her and how she presented herself. "I know that she's a clumsy kid and over exerts herself a lot. I know that she see the good in everyone when it's not even there, Soldier boy. Too sacrificial for my taste. " Carth looked at Canderous as he stopped to chuckle again. "By Mandalore, she sacrifices everything and one day, that may get her killed..." He looked down at Carth, shaking his head slowly.

"But I also know that she's a very capable Jedi. I know that we wouldn't have made it as far as we have without her. I know she's strong enough to take on any Mandalorian worth two credits. Sometimes, when I watch that kid fight, I'm nearly convinced that she has the heart of a Mandalorian... Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say that she could best me, but I know that's a fight I would have to say was a worthy one, no matter who's favor it came out to be in. I know that right now, Soldier boy, this Galaxy is dependent on her actions and hers alone. So, I guess I know enough to know that she'll be alright. No force in the galaxy is enough to stop that kid when her mind and her heart is set on something."

Canderous looked at him, the humor fading from his face. His expression was hard and intent, his eyes narrowed at Carth, making him feel all the more like a bug under his gaze.

"So don't think her to be incapable of handling herself. She's got a lot of fight in her. For once, be useful to her instead of moping around like the _di-kut_ that you are." He pushed himself off of the tree, twirling the blade between his fingers as he walked away. "She doesn't need a weak minded man in her life, Onasi. She doesn't need someone doubting her every move either. She has enough of those... what she needs is support. Someone who has faith in her. You keep this up... someone else will come through and take her from you..." He stopped momentarily to give Carth a meaningful look before continuing to walk away.

Carth looked at him, his eyes wide with bewilderment before he quickly got to his feet and dusted off the dirt. Canderous was right... this wasn't what he needed to be doing. This wasn't who she needed right now. She literally had the weight of the Galaxy on her shoulders and he was throwing fits because he couldn't be by her side right now. How stupid and... and childish of him! She asked for his help with Freyyr... he had to at least give her that much. As Carth hurried to catch up with Canderous, the only lingering though he had left was that he'd be damned if the Mandalorian bested him.

And he'd be damned if someone took her from him. Especially if it was a certain Mandalorian.

He'd step up and be what she needed him to be. He wasn't going to let himself mess things up again.

* * *

"...I know it was this way..." Jolee grumbled, sifting through branches and foliage as they trekked through the jungle. Samirah grimaced more and more as the old man talked. He seemed more certain that they were lost than he did of where the map was.

"Jolee, I thought you said you had been to this map before...?" Bastila inquired as politely as she could in her irritated state. He only shot her an agitated look before continuing his train of thought on the task at hand and grumbled to himself more.

She rolled her eyes and he made some snarky retort about trusting your elders but she hardly paid him any mind. Her mind kept drifting back to the ever so quiet Samirah. In her experience thus far, her silence meant something and she had an inkling of an idea as to what caused it.

"_Samirah..." _She whispered, slowing her pace so that she was side by side with Samirah. "_Do you feel it... the Darkness..." _Samirah laughed incredulously.

"_Bastila, it's all I've felt since I've been down here... if nothing else, I'm learning to tune it out but it still protrudes my thoughts. This place is an endless vortex of negative energy... an infectious disease..." _She hissed, her usually light and airy voice seemingly strained.

She wanted nothing more than to get what they needed and be done with the place. The negative energy made her head swirl so much, it was a wonder she could think straight. She instantly had doubts as to if this place could even be purged of its dark power. It was strong. By the Force, she prayed it would give her the strength to try. Why show her a vision, only to have its possibility seemingly ripped away. It was maddening.

Bastila only nodded in agreement. She could feel the struggle it was causing Samirah. Perhaps it was a brash decision of the council to send her out so quickly... she, in a sense, was still a neophyte Padawan who still needed training to resist the lull. They risked so much sending her out here...

"By the Four Moons!" Jolee cried before halting. Bastila and Samirah froze immediately as the old man looked around, rubbing his chin.

"Jolee, is everything alright..." Bastila asked cautiously only to be waved off.

"Now, now, don't get your robe in a twist there lass... I know we're close. I can feel it in my bones... or maybe that's just the weather... I never really could distinguish the two..." He mumbled again.

"Jolee! The Map for Forces sake!" Bastila cried, startling him.

"No need for yelling, lass, no need..."Samirah began messaging the temples of her head and closing her eyes while they bickered. This wasn't helping.

"Really, I don't know why we even follow you! You've been stuck down here so long I'm sure you've forgotten even the simplest of things- Do you remember what Tatooine is? Do you even remember what it is we're looking for?"

"What?! I may be old and senile but I'm not _THAT _old and senile, you young, over-zealous, brat!"

"How dare you! I am a proper member of the Jedi Order-"

"-And I'm a king of the Jawa's!"

"Oh well that definitely explains the smell..."

"O-ho-ho, you think you got me there don't ya, lass? Well if you were stranded in the forests of Kashyyyk for _twenty _years, how you smell is the least of your worries! And I'll have you know..."

If every planet was going to be like this, they weren't going to get any closer to the map, nor to finding out how Malak acquired the fleet he had in such a small amount of time. As she listened to them, she felt herself being pulled further away from their goal. They weren't moving any closer, why couldn't they just get along? Was it the jungle? Was it all this darkness that was getting to them?

Samirah looked up through the canopy of trees, their voices fading into the background as the moonlight seeped through the trees. A simple but clear ray of light through an abyss of obscurity. The glow surrounded the group, though really, only Samirah was aware of it as the two beside her continued to squabble away their time.

_If we give up, then it all was for naught..._

Bastila had asked her if she could feel the darkness... and she was certain that it stemmed from the Map just as it had back at the Enclave on Dantooine. Perhaps by blocking that negative energy, she was ignoring the sure way of finding the map. On Dantooine, the closer she got to the map, the heavier the air grew and the more the dark side of the Force influenced her. Perhaps she needed to let it bring her closer...

Well, fiddlesticks, there went plan A.

She took a deep breath out of necessity.

"Enough." Samirah said calmly but loud enough to catch their attention. They quieted as she stepped forward, her hand resting on her lightsaber. "We want to find the Star Map... then we have to follow the darkness..."

Bastila and Jolee said nothing as she moved through the forest, closing her eyes and feeling out with the Force. The Jedi Code, resounding in her mind to keep her sure that she wasn't tempted by the shadows. In her mind, she envisioned the world as nothing but the current and flow of the Force. She wanted to find the corruption within the forest, the roots of the tree that disrupted the balance.

When she had found it, she opened her eyes and moved quietly in what she hoped was the right direction. By all accounts, it had to be. She heard Bastila and Jolee behind her, trying to keep up and still mumbling to each other in an attempt to continue their quarrel. She ignored them. Force help her that they don't kill one another before they reached the map.

The further in they trekked, the quieter the two behind her became. The air was thick, just as it had been in the ruins. There was no mistaking this feeling of animosity that filled the air. There was a scent as well... some old and familiar that wafted through. It was very faint but distinguishable. She couldn't put her finger on it though. The light that had once been her guide was now obscured amidst the tangled tree limbs of the forest. Apparently, wherever it was they were going, not even the light dared to follow.

Along the way, they encountered only a few kinrath but they were not to be taken lightly. They put up their own fight and if possible... had become larger. It was possible that their exposure to the darker side of the Force is what made them crazy and more menacing. What was it that made this place so... so... _broken. _Was it the taint? Was it the aftermath of Revan and Malak's actions? Or was this as natural to the Shadowlands as the Force to a Jedi? Samirah stepped over the foliage, maneuvering her body through drooping vines and fallen limbs as she inched closer to the Star Map.

"_I... I feel it..."_ Bastila whispered from behind, acknowledging how the intensity of the energy increased the deeper they ventured into the forest.

"Ah yes... so I wasn't wrong after all..." After Jolee spoke the words, they entered a small clearing- at least, as much of a clearing as one could find in this expansive forest.

There was a massive tree, surrounded in vines and fallen foliage, that nearly veiled the mechanism beside it entirely. Even if Samirah had wanted to ignore it, it demanded her attention.

_We found it Revan... Another puzzle piece in our hands and another step closer... another step closer..._

She shook Malak's voice from her head.

She couldn't let the darkness invade her thoughts any longer or it would drive her insane. Her fear was not that she would lose herself completely-though that thought did invade her thoughts every so often- but that her mere _curiosity_ of the voices would do enough harm and damage on its own. That her curiosity would lead her down a darker road than she would ever like to imagine herself going down. She somehow couldn't help her curious nature, however, and that was what haunted her the most about it. She didn't want to be a Revan repeat. She put back up the barrier in her mind, casting out the shadows created by the energy surrounding her. She blocked out the voices that entranced her mind, focusing on the task at hand.

The Map.

No more distractions, no more voices.

Samirah stepped closer, her steps becoming measured and calculated, unsure of what to expect. Last time there was a puzzle, this time, perhaps...

"Life forms detected. Determining parameter. Initiating neural recognition."

The sudden voice made her literally jump back as she ripped her lightsaber from her belt, igniting it. An image flickered to life before her, a creature she'd never seen before. It looked much like the Selkath had but with a much sturdier body structure and a head that was narrow rather then... well, squished. Its eyes poked out of the head from the sides, reminding her much of an amphibian rather than a mammal of sorts.

"Yes, there's the thing. Obstinate machine. I've no doubt it holds what you seek, but good luck getting it operational." Jolee sneered with a chuckle, folding his arms over his chest. He apparently found this to be an impossible feet.

It was a hologram. She refastened her lightsaber, examining the image closer. As she stepped in front of it, a dim light passed over her and she froze. What was it doing now? The light faded away and an audible sound was heard from within the machinery.

"Primary neural recognition complete. Preliminary match found." Preliminary match found? Jolee gasped at the machinery, his face going rigid with confusion. He clearly wasn't expecting that kind of reaction.

"Match found…? What the…it always muttered something about "rejected patterns" for me."

"And you're surprised?" Bastila jabbed, looking away from him as he shot her a glare. Samirah paid them no mind, her attention still held by the form before her.

"Benign socialized interface. Awaiting instruction. Greetings. This terminal has not been accessed for quite some time." She looked around, checking to make sure it was really her that the hologram spoke too. Bastila only shrugged in response while Jolee... well, she wasn't sure but she thought he was pouting. Odd.

"Uh...Well..." She stammered, unsure what to do. "Why are you acknowledging me but not Jolee? I-"

"-Error. Subject displays unfamiliarity to environment. Behavioral reconfiguration will be needed before access." A light passed over her again as more sounds began to chime from within, the creature hardly moving anything other than his lips. "I am sorry, I did not mean to confuse you. I will answer questions to the best of my programming limitations."

"Wha..." Samirah was confused.

"What do you mean by behavioral reconfiguration?" Bastila asked, stepping forward as her intrigue got the better of her. The Image turned to her and immediately passed the light over her- which Samirah assumed was its form of scanning.

"Primary neural recognition complete. Error. Preliminary match not found. Patterns are rejected." Bastila gasped, clenching her fist in annoyance.

"Patterns are _rejected!?"_ She exclaimed, completely aware of Jolee's snickering beside her. "I'll have you know-"

"Error. Subject does not match patterns." She huffed before turning to Samirah on the heels of her feet, her hair swinging over her shoulder.

"Fine, you deal with the heap of scrap metal! It will apparently only listen to you." She marched away, keeping a distance between her and the machine. She walked back several paces to a tree and leaned back against, suddenly not wanting anything to do with the contraption.

Samirah tried to say something but stopped, letting out a heavy sigh. She wasn't sure what she needed to tell this thing... usually when she dealt with technology it was to fly, destroy or dismantle... not communicate. Jolee stayed close, still smiling about Bastila's _rejected patterns_. Made him feel good to know that he wasn't the only one with insufficient patterns... or something. Moreover, he stayed close because he was curious about what the Machine had to say. He had never seen it talk to anyone else... this was the first.

Samirah rubbed her arm as she thought about how to begin.

"Uh... well... what _did _you mean be behavioral... uh... reconfiguration..." That was what it had said, right? Was worth a try to ask.

"I have been programmed with a very limited field of knowledge, and I must restrict access to only those that fit my allowed pattern." It immediately chimed, to her surprise but also to her confusion. Did she or did she not fit the pattern then? So wait... now she was back to the question: why was it even recognizing her in the first place?

"Wait a second, I thought I didn't fit the pattern? That's why you need to do the reconfiguration thing, right? So do I or do I not fit that pattern?"

The machine paused for a moment, thinking its answer over carefully. Had she perplexed it already or did it have one too many answers for the question?

"I can't say. I will try to bring forward the behavior that you need to proceed, as outlined by my programming."

"Oh..." So it was a helpful machine after all. She wasn't sure what it meant about _bringing forward the behavior_ but so long as it gave her the map, she wasn't going to be knit picky about it. "Well thank you, that's very helpful of you. Why allow me any access at all though?" Jolee chuckled.

"You really want to ask that thing that? It might change its mind if you keep asking so many questions, lass." She looked to him, chewing her bottom lip. He was right. Maybe she shouldn't shoot herself in the foot just yet but she was curious. Again, it was her curiosity getting the better of her. She was being a terrible Jedi. _Can Jedi be fired?,_ she mildly wondered before shaking the thoughts away to refocus on the computer.

"I can't say. Preliminary matching allows for you to be coached." For a computer, it sure was secretive. Either it was putting these restrictions on itself... or someone else had done it.

"Do you know why, or are you restricted from saying?" She asked sarcastically, crossing her arms.

"I can't say. Likelihood of restriction by previous user, 100%." Revan and Malak. If no one else had accessed this computer in years, then perhaps Revan made sure that once they had acquired what they had set out to acquire, then it would benefit them to cover their tracks and ensure no one else could find the maps. Clever.

"What limitations have been placed in your programming?" Now she was intrigued. They were getting to the part at which she excelled- cracking codes. If it was a matter of coding or reconfigurations then given enough time, she could possibly get to the root of the problem.

"Corruption has resulted in gaps appearing in my memory, and in that of the original installation. It could be theorized that these gaps are intentional, but I have no information on that." Samirah began pacing, rolling the thought around in her head. Missing gaps? Why only gaps? Why not delete all the information while you're at it? What was the purpose?

"What gaps are missing?"

"Error. I can't present a non-presence." She mentally kicked herself. Of course it wouldn't know what was missing... that would defeat the purpose. "Perhaps you could ask other questions and data corruption will become evident."

She stopped to stroke her chin, wondering how else to gain access to its mainframe. It was like unraveling a ball of thread- you knew what you had to do, it was just a matter of finding a start point and working your way to the middle from there. It said to keep asking questions...

"Ok..." She looked back at the computer, "What are you?"

"I utilize a retro-adapted holocron-interface. Clarify your questions and I will attempt to access original system memory."

"Then... who even built this installation in the first place?"

"Error. Corruption. Extrapolating. This utility was built to monitor planet-wide agricultural reformation. It has since malfunctioned. It can be theorized that the super-growth of Kashyyyk's forests is a direct result."

This piqued Jolee's interest as he laughed softly to himself, stepping up a little bit to stand side-by-side with Samirah. What a curious machine.

"Well, that is surprising. I doubt any Wookiee would support such a claim. The forest is millennia old." The machine continued, barely pausing to acknowledge what Jolee had said.

"Malfunction occurred 241 years after last builder communication. Last builder communication… 29,642 years before current Republic standard." This caused them both to pause while Samirah thought over what the machine had just said, just to be sure she heard it correctly. 29... it was built 30,000 years ago so...

"If this place was built 30,000 years ago… it predates the Republic." That was similar to what the previous machine they had encountered on Dantooine had said, correct? The droid.

"Information regarding the builders of this installation has been corrupted. No evidence of such a civilization exists in the galactic records." Again, data was missing. Why delete this information? Or had time been the reason for corrupted files?

"Why was agricultural reformation needed to begin with? I don't see the reasoning..." Samirah pondered. The trees were huge! The foliage as lush as any backwater planet and she was sure the inhabitants- both sentient and not- wouldn't argue it.

"Agricultural record indicates this planet was incapable of sustaining sufficient levels of production. Error. Specific conditions corrupted. It can be theorized that produce was being exported to support a larger demand." The computer seemed to be struggling at this point. It was shaking its head and trying to reassert itself as it kept coming across errors and corrupted files. It was straining its programming to provide answers or lack thereof.

"This is a short period for adaptation of native creatures…" Jolee muttered. The holocron twitched a time or two, perhaps running into too many errors at once. Despite its previous statement, it responded to Jolee. Sort of...

"Error. Records corrupted. It can be theorized that bio-seeding allowed the ecology to remain balanced. It could be expected that the same energy feeding the trees of Kashyyyk also accelerated the evolution of various species. No further information is available. There is too much corrupted data. Too much... corruption." It twitched again.

Again, the data was becoming too corrupted. From where she stood, Samirah couldn't see any immediate entry points for hardware. Even if this thing was installed 30,000 years ago, it was installed very skillfully and she was suddenly worried that if it came right down to it... would her skill set be enough?

"Who installed this holo-interface?" She asked, a little more than perturbed at its inability to answer the questions without an error arising.

"This interface was installed to better access the ancient data stored within the pre-existing system. The exact date is unavailable. Programming keys indicate no earlier than five years before current Republic standard."

"Hmm, five years ago?" Jolee mused, shaking his head. "No, no, no. I didn't notice it then. This must have been installed in strictest secrecy. It couldn't have been Czerka. They can't do a damn thing in secrecy... they're too brash for that."

"No other information on time of installation or identity of user available. Likelihood of removal by user, 100%."

Again... Removal of user... 100%.

"Five years ago is about the time Revan passed this way…" Samirah said, looking back to Jolee who slowly nodded in agreement.

Was she out of her league if Revan had done all this? Was this something that surpassed her level of skill? This was already beginning to strain her head as she attempted to wrap her head around all this information. Add to that how tired she was and this was bound to be a recipe for disaster.

"It would make sense that Revan would cause us all this trouble..." He stroked his beard, sorting through his own thoughts as the image twitched again.

"Error. Data regarding subject "Revan" corrupted." Again with the corruption? Why only corrupted? Samirah wasn't understanding.

"But there was an entry at some time?" She inquired, stepping closer.

"Error. Data on "Revan" unavailable." She was beginning to get frustrated. If all their work to get her had been for naught... there had to be a way to fix this. To bypass all these protocols and errors and corrupted data that was between her and the map.

"Who last accessed this installation?" She asked, rubbing the temples of her head for the umpteenth time and closing her eyes.

"Sorting by identity. Three attempts by the Wookiee Freyyr, All denied. 152 attempts by human Jolee Bindo, all denied."

"Hah!" Bastila snorted from far behind them while Samirah turned her full attention on the old Jedi. He gave her a sheepish grin along with a shrug.

"Heh… call me stubborn, I guess. Heh. There wasn't much else to do around here."

"152 times you've been this way... and you still got lost? And not once could you get this machine to recognize you as a... a pattern or whatever?" She asked skeptically. He shrugged again.

"Hey, I found out the hard way that once you're a rejected pattern, you'll always be a rejected pattern... damnable technology..." he trailed off into his own monologue as the computer interface flinched when it spoke again in its mono-tone voice.

"Error. List of access attempts prior to these is corrupted, likelihood of removal by user, 100%."

"Of course... removal by user..." She muttered, crouching down in front of the mechanism and running her fingers through her bangs. At that moment, static starting coming from her comlink. She looked at it briefly, tinkering with it for a second before the static faded. Was someone trying to contact them? Or was this just another string of corrupted data and errors getting her nowhere? She ignored the com, frustrated.

She wasn't getting anywhere. It was like an endless cycle of corrupted data and errors! Everything here was practically fried! Revan did a hell of a job on this computer. Probably not as good of a job as was initially intended since she was acknowledged by the terminal but it still wasn't an easy fix. Any answers she was hoping to get were either corrupted, missing or denied.

"Maybe... Did they, oh, you know, perhaps forget to erase the part about the Star Map?" She asked, sarcastically, not even daring to look up at the interface. She was about ready to hack away at this machine if it didn't start producing positive answers.

"Accessing. Yes. I have found a Star Map in original system memory." It declared. If the interface could show any sign of emotion, Samirah was sure it would show pride. She immediately jumped up, her face alight with hope. Bastila even came closer to the group as they got closer to the heart of their journey in the Shadowlands.

"By the stars! At last we-"

"-Access is restricted."

Samirah immediately let out a string of curses in Mandalorian, Cheunh and Huttese- all at the same time and to the surprise of Bastila and Jolee. She swung her arms in the air, punching at nonexistent life forms as expletives flew from her mouth faster than a Hutt could scheme you out of your last credit. She was steaming with annoyance and disdain for this planet and especially for that machine.

"Error. Unable to-"

"Oh shove it!" She cried at the interface, continuing her pace in circles. "_Ktah sculag..." _She finished, taking deep breaths.

"Let's try this again. What is it that I need to do to gain access to the Star Map?" She demanded in slow deliberate words rather than asking.

"_Samirah..."_ Bastila hissed but was disregarded as Samirah put her full attention on this computer. She wasn't going to let Revan beat her at her own game. Gathering intel was what she did for years. She wasn't dropping the ball here.

"Your request requires additional security access." Samirah raised her now clenched fist and ended up being caught by Bastila before she could swing at the interface. Bastila and Jolee held her back as she kept trying to kick and punch at the-now unflinching- terminal. "You must be made to match the parameters I have been supplied."

"The hell I will!" She screamed at it.

"Now lass!" Jolee struggled to speak but put most of his effort in keeping her from doing something they'd all regret. He also got the sense that she wasn't in full control. She needed to be settled down.

"Jolee, Bastila, unhand me! I'll dismantle this piece of _shabuir_! I'll pull apart every _karking_ wire and turn them into sweaters if it means me getting to the map! Like hell I'll submit and be _made_ to do a damn thing it asks of me! You hear me, Revan! You hear me! This _farkled_ planet and every _farkled_ thing you've _scrogged_ up! I'll... I'll..."

She was tired of fighting it! She was tired of everything being a trial, she was tired of being led on a chase and playing this game of cat and mouse with Malak and his whole damned fleet! She would dismantle that ship too! She'd dismantle his jaw while she was at it too and run around his toy ship with it making puppet sounds as she forced it to talk! She wouldn't be bested! She wouldn't allow this to keep going. She was done! So what if the Council wanted her jumping through their hoops! So what if the fate of the galaxy was dependent on her actions here after! It didn't matter anyway, none of it did. She wasn't going to be made a fool of any longer, she was going too-

A hand crossed her face.

Bastila had hit her with the back of her hand.

Her head jerked to her left suddenly, causing her to cease her struggling attempts to break free from Jolee's grip. She froze. She hadn't noticed it but her breathing had become labored and uneven. She noticed, suddenly, how her face was contorted into a snarl and how her body had tensed. She stood, frozen for several moments, too shocked to really think. She finally slumped against Jolee before he set her into a sitting position. Her eyes as wide as stars, staring back at Bastila.

"By the Force, Samirah..." Bastila breathed slowly. "Do you even hear yourself?"

And that's when Samirah felt it.

Through her frustration and her inattentiveness to her surroundings, namely the Force itself, she had dropped all forms of protection against the dark side that permeated every tree, every branch, every leaf and every bloody _seed_. She was willingly submitting herself to the will of the dark sides influential power without even realizing it. She had started to become her old self again- the scout with no ties to the Jedi or the Force. The scout who, unknowingly, was very susceptible to the influence of the Force. For a few moments, she had forgotten everything she had ever learned from the Enclave.

She cursed herself. How could she have been so careless?

"I... I don't... I'm so sorry..." She stammered, her voice nearly cracking as she spoke. She was horrified at herself. What had she really said?

Bastila stood up, her hands on her hips and a stern expression in place. Jolee was crouched beside her, not particularly worried it seemed... mostly... intrigued. Samirah needed to build her wall up again. She needed to diffuse all the negative energy that had been drawn to her.

_I am the master of my mind. I am the master of my body. Whatever taint left behind from Revan; left in the air from this map... I need it gone. It will have no power over me any longer... _

She focused, rebuilding her safe haven from all the darkness that prevailed here. She couldn't allow another slip up like that again. Next time, she might do more than just expressing a few profanities. While she focused, the terminal before them began to speak, making it apparent that it was analyzing the events that transpired.

"Personality profiling will verify the basic structure of your conscious mind. Processing. Incomplete. Insufficient. Error. There was not enough data to make a full assessment. There will need to be more data gathered before a full assessment can be taken." They turned their attention to the un-phased terminal as it calculated. Jolee chuckled, falling back into a sitting position to rest.

"Old thing must have counted that outburst of yours as part of the... the... thingy." He wrinkled his nose, shooting her a sly look. Bastila rolled her eyes in response to his use of the word..._thingy. _He breathed out a heavy sigh, rolling his shoulder. " Not... uh... as young as I used to be. You can wear an old man out... Sheesh... _definitely too old for this..._" He murmured.

"_I'm sorry..." _She whispered but he waved her off, content with watching the events to follow, unfold.

"I will determine whether you are ready to receive the Star Map, or can be made ready." The terminal stated, matter-of-factly. The way that it said _'made ready'_, didn't sit too well with Samirah. What exactly did this all entail?

"And this... profiling. What if I fail... what if I can't be made ready..." She was cautious now. She didn't want to completely let down her guard again but she also needed to focus. The possibility of failure here was too high and she couldn't allow any more mistakes.

"Then you are not worthy of further access. You will be rejected as unsuitable."

That was it? A simple rejection.

"What does that mean?" She asked, her brow furrowed.

"Information unavailable. If you have further questions, ask them now. Access will terminate with success or failure of evaluation." It clarified.

"I suppose that means you're not allowed to fail..." Jolee surmised with a stroke of his chin.

Samirah took a deep breath, sizing up the image in front of her, wondering what exactly was in store for her. What sort of obstacles had Revan set in their wait, an attempt to thwart their efforts. By all accounts, Revan had thought this all through and had covered every track that was left behind. She could feel Bastila's gaze weighing heavily on her, the eyes of the Jedi piercing through her soul.

_We cannot fail..._

The words of her friend a barely audible whisper across the far reaches of her mind.

_We will not fail..._

This time, the words were not Bastila's and they were not her own. A game played once before between two other Jedi on a whole other playing field. _Funny,_ Samirah thought, _how things seem to repeat. _A cycle that, all at once, was different and yet still oddly the same. A simple breeze passed her by as the interface awaited her response. Her nose filled with the natural scent of the earth, followed by the scent of corruption that lingered in Revan and Malak's wake. A scent only detected through the Force and detectable by those who are Force sensitive.

So that was it... its own scent. A trail, so to speak. Left on accident or was this all the intentions of the Dark Lord?

The faster they sorted this puzzle out, the faster the galaxy could be cleansed and put back to its balanced nature. She pulled herself up from the ground, dusting off her robe. This wasn't the time to act like a neophyte Padawan. She needed to be strong and not let her guard down again. A Jedi is always prepared. A Jedi is expectant. A Jedi is civil. She stood tall, squaring her shoulders and looking at the sentient being that stood between her and the Star Map.

"You may begin your... _evaluation." _

"Evaluation commencing. Results will be compared against the pattern in memory. Just act like you should." She fought the inward grimace and retort that stemmed from the terminals last remark.

Easier said than done.

* * *

"And that's Pazaak- Guess that means you get to clean the refresher now too, huh, little guy?" Mission beamed as she dropped her cards on the table while T3 whizzed and whooped in a low tone. "Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. You're a droid, ya know? It can happen."

T3 backed up and moved forward several times as his chimes and whistles elevated in sync with his movements, nearly banging into Mission. She jumped out of her chair, nearly avoiding the droid's jab into her abdomen. She narrowed her eyes at the droid, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I don't cheat!" She cried, shaking her head furiously. The very idea of this guy!

The sounds the emitted from T3 however, begged to differ. She waved him off, gathering up her cards and securing them in her jacket. T3 continued to chime but she didn't pay him much attention before he zoomed away to what she hoped was him cleaning the refresher. She looked down at her comlink, releasing a heavy sigh. She'd been trying to contact Samirah and the others for hours. Was it too much to ask that they check in every so often? Canderous just up and left her, complaining that he was being cooped up too long in this microwave.

She furrowed her brow at the idea. That Mandalorian couldn't sit still for one measly microsecond. She was sure it would take the full force of a Rancor sitting on him before it would even come close to happening. She started snickering at the very idea, her head tails swaying to and fro as she shook her head. No, he'd probably still be fighting to move. He was a fighter, through and through.

She laid her head down on the table, kicking the metal column that kept it secured to the ship. Her smile and giggles fading away. Where was everybody? It had already been nearly a full day, almost two! What was so hard about keeping in contact? What was so hard about keeping her updated? She knew she should have gone with them... she had this feeling in her gut that told her things weren't going as planned.

"..._It doesn't feel right... Zaalbar..." _She murmured against the table. She reached for her comlink, one last time- a final attempt to reach someone. She'd even talk to old grouchy pants, Carth. She just needed someone to answer because she was getting worried. Way, way, way past worried if she was going to be honest.

"Hey..." She started, clicking on the comlink. "Everything alright over there? Ya know, cause, it's getting kind of boring over here. I can only play so many games of Pazaak while you guys get to have all the fun..." She was attempting to sound normal but even to her own ears, she was sounding worried and the complete opposite of calm.

She waited, the comlink feeling dead to her as she stared.

Nothing.

Her head fell against the table again and she repeated this process several times over until her forehead was sore from the impact. She was starting to go stir crazy and feeling useless. This was so not her style! She closed her eyes as she heard T3-M4 roll up beside her.

"What now..." She groaned against the table. If he thought he was done cleaning the refresher, he was wrong. She _knew_ it couldn't be cleaned that fast...

T3 whistled and booped at her, making all sorts of sounds as it spun around in a circle. Mission peaked at T3 through one opened eye, more out of curiosity then necessity.

"What are you saying? I _have _tried contacting them..." She explained but was pretty confident that the droid didn't care what efforts she had already put into it. "If the first 80 gazillion tries didn't work, what makes you think another one is going to be the miracle one?"

T3 whistled in a high pitch tone, hitting the table repeatedly. He ran over her foot purposefully, making her jump up again and yelp in pain.

"Ouch! Hey, will ya watch it? Jeez, a girl tries to be civil..." She complained, rubbing her foot. "What do you want me to do? Go after them? What if they come back while we're gone or somethin'? Huh? What then?" The droid stopped and thought for a moment.

She just sat back down and rested her head in her hand, watching T3 with exasperation. It lowered its chimes, whistling slowly and in a low key at her. She smiled faintly at him before patting him on the head.

"I know... I'm worried too. They aren't answering their coms though... what're we-" T3 interrupted her with more sounds that forced her to start messaging the sides of her head. Sometimes, this machine knew just how to rub her the wrong way.

He didn't let up either. He kept colliding with the leg of the chair, jostling Mission. She had to put her foot up against his head to keep him from nearly breaking the chair. Though his movements were thwarted, he kept at his incessant beeping. Her eyes went wide for a split moment as he finished, before she looked away.

"Well... 'course they're not in trouble. Maybe the... maybe there's something interfering with the signal. Besides... Samirah said they'd be careful... They're always careful..." Even though she was trying to convince the droid that everything would be ok, she herself didn't sound too convinced.

They were both quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts while Mission debated on what to do. The sitting and waiting was killing her- much like how it had nearly killed Canderous but what more was she supposed to do? On the other hand... they could be in trouble. What was she thinking? They were fine! And even if they weren't, they would figure a way out. Unless they were waiting for her to come save them... what if that was the case. Don't they know they're supposed to inform a person when they're expected to save the day? Common courtesy, ya know? Jeez! She turned to look at T3, her chin resting in her palm again.

"Say, T3, what do you think? I mean, If they are in trouble..." She trailed off, mentally praying to the stars that they weren't. T3 chimed, catching her attention and causing her to bolt upright. "What are you're talking about? Big Z is with Samirah and the others! Why would he be-"

And then she stopped to listen to T3. The more he spoke, the wider her eyes got.

"How do you..." The unit whizzed and whirled with sounds, making her head spin ever so slightly at the thought. "You can do that? So then why didn't you-" He interrupted her, buzzing around as she rubbed her head with both hands. This eavesdropping little droid... she'd deal with him later. There were more important things to do!

"... so Czerka... Big Z... we have to do something! Come on!"

Mission hurried through the _Ebon Hawk_ to the female quarters and retrieved her vibroblade from under her bed, being sure to check it for any defects that would later cause problems. She slung the sword over her shoulders, keeping it sheathed unless it was necessary to use. She also packed a blaster at her hip, just for extra measure. If she understood the little mech droid right, Zaalbar was a captive of the Wookiee tribe for some reason and that they were planning to sell him into slavery if something wasn't done fast! Mission was determined to show them that it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought to sell her friend like that. So long as she and Big Z had each other, nothing was going to keep them apart, not even slavers.

Why hadn't she realized ahead of time that coming back to Kashyyyk was going to be hard for him? Why didn't he say something...? As she moved through the ship, she wiped at her eyes, wondering briefly why he kept this all to himself. They were friends... ya know?

"_Ya could have told me it wasn't safe for ya, Zaalbar... ya could have..."_ She murmured. T3 zoomed up next to her, his little guns locked and loaded which made her sigh with a smile at the idea of him getting some action. She never really pictured T3 as a fighter, really.

If she was lucky, they wouldn't have to fight anyone. Perhaps everything is fine and they'll just walk out there only to run right into everyone coming back safely. It could happen and she hoped that that was what happened. However, on the off chance that everything had gone south... it was impossible for her to sit and do nothing if they needed just the tiniest bit of help. She couldn't shake that feeling she had either... that feeling that something terribly wrong had happened...

Zaalbar was nobodies slave and she'd fight all of Kashyyyk to prove it. Nobody could be the master of a free spirited Wookiee, the very idea made her giggle. The only master Zaalbar needed, was himself.

"Come on, T3. It's time we found out what was going on..."

* * *

**Please feel free to comment/review on the chapter as I love to hear what you guys think! Also, I giggled quite a lot when I read what you guys had had for dinner. My favorite one having something to do with duck in mushroom sauce? I tip my hat to you sir, I tip my hat to you.**

**Oh and yes, by request of Athena Sapphire, I'm going to start posting progress updates on my page. Normally I plan to update my story on Fridays, but as you can see, I failed miserably at that, I just don't have the time like I used too but I'm still trying. So what I'm going to start doing is about every Friday (maybe a day before or a day after) starting this Friday, I'll post some sort of update on my profile page just so you guys know that I haven't forgotten you and so you're still informed of my progress.**

**I want to thank you all for still being here for me and cheering me on! Even if your cheering requires a pointy stick, as someone mentioned in the reviews haha. I really do appreciate it everyone. **

**May the Force be with you all...**

**~SS~**


	29. Chapter 28: The Legacy

**Disclaimer: I own nothing by LucasArts, Bioware or Disney but I do own Samirah and her quirkyness!**

**Hello my devoted readers (if you are still with me!)**

**I apologize once more for the delayed chapter. Life, school and "the force" had a way of impeding my ability to finish this chapter. Consequently, this was a hard chapter for me to write. I say this because each time I wrote it, I was unhappy with how it came out so I would start again until I had some shodding draft that I believed to be workable. I was finally able to turn several horrific drafts into a final chapter that I can quite say I am much happier with. There was a part or two in which I call "eh" but I'm assuming that's because I'm OCD about that lol Who knows? **

**Well, you have all graciously kept up with me and have patiently awaited my update on this story. Fear not, as promised, I have not given up on it! **

**To my dearest Athena Sapphire, I wanted to extend my thanks to you for checking up on me and ensuring I hadn't been eaten by a black hole ^-^ I really did appreciate the message and the vote of confidence! I apologize for not responding as of yet but know that your encouragement was much appreciated and in part, the reason I was able to make this chapter as I did!**

**And a big thank you to everyone who still sticks by me! I appreciate everything you guys give me and the big uplift in spirits I get when you all read my chapters :) you have no idea what it means to me and I'm only sorry that I can't update as fast as I wish but I will continue to try, Force willing!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**The Legacy**

_"Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you."_

* * *

The stage was set.

The pieces were all falling into place as they should. It was only a matter of how, when and if this bode well for Chuundar at all. He sat in his throne, the hilt of Bacca's blade at the tips of his fingers. According to his spies, the humans had failed him. Never trust a human. They deliberately disobeyed him and to a certain degree, he knew they would when he looked into that one human's eyes. Samirah Noval Alda, as he had been informed by outside sources... the thorn in his side. The moment they had made their terms, he saw the defiance in her eyes... subtle but ever so present.

_Don't worry Big Z! We'll be back, I promise!_

He gripped the hilt tightly with his claws.

Her final words before disappearing into the depths of this worthless forest. A forest to which he had mildly hoped would devour her whole along with those she called allies. It had failed him as well. Though the idea of her returning- successful or a failure- did not make him happy. It rather infuriated him. He gritted his teeth, the broken metal of the hilt scraping against the chair he sat in as he raked it against the wood. His upper lip quivered in anger. She would not best him. She would not fulfill this promise. She would not come back alive.

"**Shorwarr... "** He beckoned one of his tenants, a fast and resourceful Wookiee to his side. The fair-haired Wook came to him swiftly, kneeling beside the throne at his call. He dare not even look upon Chuundar and this made him feel smug. Made him feel powerful."**Go to ****Gorwooken and inform him of this human's treachery... do not allow her to leave the forest. Kill her. Kill them all."**

The Wookiee nodded, needing nothing else from his leader before he got up and was gone from the room in moments. This pleased Chuundar. He wanted the entirety of Zaalbar's crew all to vanish from Kashyyyk and for them to cause him no more distress.

Zaalbar roared out in anger upon hearing this from the corner where he was kept. The two guarding him had chained him to prevent him from making things difficult as Chuundar went about his daily business. He pulled against the chains, causing his guards to hold him back and restrain him from moving at all. The few Czerka men Chuundar allowed in the camp became skittish as they tried to ignore him. This amused Chuundar.

**"You cannot! Leave her be! They have nothing-" **Chuundar bolted up from the his seat, taking no time at all to hit Zaalbar with the hilt of the blade. The jagged edges of the broken blade pulling across Zaalbar's cheek and only causing him to cry out louder. A mark was left in its wake, a trickle of blood falling freely down his face.

**"Silence, madclaw."**He growled.** "Your words hold no weight here any longer... be silent! I hold Bacca's hilt... what I say, goes."**

He was going to sell Zaalbar into slavery. Let him suffer. Chuundar didn't care, this was his kingdom now. Not his. Not his fathers. It was his. Chuundar circled the room, his anger and rage simmering out to nothing but satisfaction. He could imagine Zaalbar, defiant to his new master no matter what the punishment. He would most likely enrage the human until the human saw fit to kill him and Chuundar hoped it was something awful. The abhorrence he had for Zaalbar was so great... nothing else would fill this void.

**"Chuundar..." **Zaalbar spoke, earning the full gaze of his once brother.

**"You will regret ever coming back..." **Chuundar muttered as he gazed at Zaalbar with nothing more than loathing. **"You should have never returned to ruin me..."**

There was a knock, redirecting Chuundar's attention to the entrance as a Wookiee stationed at the gate strode in.

**"Forgive me, Chieftain, for disturbing you..."** He began urgently and quietly. **"But there seems to be an interruption that I must bring to your attention..."**

As the Wookiee spoke, Chuundar's face became a mixture of emotions. He finally settled on a smile that curled up at the edges. No, by the end of this day, he would end up on top. He would be the victor of this game. The pieces were being set up. The game was beginning and he got to set the rules. He looked over to Zaalbar, who sat speechless, with a sardonic smile. He would be the conqueror of this day.

It was his playing field.

* * *

Samirah was becoming frustrated as she stood before Gorwooken and the two Wookiees that flanked him. Her lightsaber already in her hand as it hummed a brilliant green color. The air around them was bitterly cold and she shivered instinctively as the breeze brushed against her. Their entire adventure down here was cold, dark, obscure and every inch of it seemed to linger on in her soul. It left an imprint on her. She knew it had, everything she had faced thus far was leaving a small mark on her soul and she wondered if this was what being a Jedi was. Being affected by everything you saw, everything you did and everything you touched but never allowing it to change you. Could she be strong enough to not let the Shadowlands change her? An important question, she thought, but one to be answered later when she wasn't being confronted by angry Wookiees with an intent to kill.

They were in her way and purposefully. Gorwooken had confronted her about allowing Freyyr to live as opposed to killing him as Chuundar had demanded. Now, they were going to make their attempt at slaying her to prevent her from helping out in the village where Freyyr had already gone. She had enough of these delays, she wasn't about to come this far and go through all the trouble she had endured from that terminal to be thwarted here.

Thinking back to it, she still didn't understand that terminal. Her brow furrowed at the thought. It was an evaluation that she apparently couldn't answer right, according to the terminal. The answers it wanted from her weren't the ones she gave and when she fought with the terminal about it, it simply stated that she could not go against the pattern it was comparing her against- a memory to which it would not explain to her. She gave it answers and after answering the first question, realized what kind of answers it wanted from her but at the same time... it wanted her to be honest.

Something was off. Something wasn't right.

When she gave it her honest answers and she ended up right, she explained her reasoning to which the terminal would argue saying her choice was right but her reasoning did not match. It infuriated her. It wanted her to be ruthless. It wanted her to not care about anything else except for the end result and that was not in her. She was rejected. At first, her heart stopped at the idea of being kept from the map until droids rolled out to eliminate her and the others. By the end of the battle, her only injury was a miniscule burn on her left shoulder which was hardly noticeable. Before she could utter a word to the terminal, it declared her as a match due to its analysis of the battle and her fighting technique. Whatever parameters were installed prior to their meeting, she fit the pattern by some miracle of the Force.

And then... when she touched the map, it was just the same as Dantooine. She was flooded with images and... screams. Her chest ached and her body crumpled to the ground. The cries, the faces, the terror- she felt it all as if they were all a punch to her gut. It took both Jolee and Bastila to reassure her that everything was not as she saw it. That there were no actual screams aside from the ones ringing in her ears...

_Undeniable... power..._

She flinched at the memory, a whirlwind of questions. She had been told the Force had an odd way of working but this felt different to her. It just didn't feel right. Something was wrong and no matter how she tried, she couldn't shake that feeling that she was missing something. Like it was staring her in the face but she couldn't recognize it. She didn't understand her role but all that mattered was that she now had the map, Freyyr was heading back to the village and Gorwooken was in her way. She needed to make him move and she needed to hurry. Carth and Canderous had rejoined them now since Freyyr climbed through the trees so as to move faster. He was in a hurry to stop his son.

"If you value anything here, Gorwooken, you will step aside and allow us through. Chuundar is nothing but a slaver, selling you all to-" Gorwooken roared.

**"You are not to speak as if you know! You are not one of us! You will pay for your human arrogance!"** And just like that, the talking portion was over. He wanted to speak no more.

He lunged at them, the two Wookiees beside him following was instantly put on the defensive and was well aware of the fact that time was not on their side. She dodged to the left, pulling her free hand back and channeled as much force power as she could at Gorwooken. In one swift motion, she threw her hand forward, knocking a wall comprised of the Force at the Wookiee.

His body twisted unnaturally through the air before rolling across the grass into a nearby tree. Her attention was fully on Gorwooken, allowing her companions to work on the other two Wookiees. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that Bastila and Carth focused on one Wookiee while Canderous and Jolee focused on the other. The roar of Gorwooken drew her completely back to him as he got up, his teeth bared at her. With her free hand again, she lifted a nearby branch- again, the branches on Kashyyyk were more like trees themselves- and flung it towards the Wookiee.

With a quick motion, the Wookiee decimated the branch with his right forearm, breaking the branch into several pieces. In that moment, Samirah took the offensive and rushed in, using the debris as her brief cover. She jumped up, using her left foot to push against the chest of Gorwooken for momentum as she swung her right foot straight up in the air and connecting it with his chin. She allowed her body to flip back into the air, landing in a crouching position as he reeled his head backwards from impact. He stumbled back, regaining composure as he swung around his blade in his hands.

She mirrored him, standing up. She didn't want to have to kill him if she didn't have too but...

He rushed at her, roaring loudly as she charged at him in response. He lifted his right arm, preparing to slash down at her with his blade when they neared each other. She held her hand up quickly, holding his blade in place with the Force as he tried to pull down his blade on her but finding he was unable to. In that moment, she moved her lightsaber from her right hand to her left. Thatbroke her hold on his sword as she grabbed his right bicep, used it to swing herself under him and up onto his back where she clung to him tightly. He tried to shake her off but she wouldn't allow it, quickly changing which hand held her lightsaber one last time.

Her left arm was now wrapped tightly around his neck, forcing Gorwooken to claw madly at it in his attempt to free himself from her. With the other arm now in possession of her lightsaber, she plunged it's blade into his back. The green energy slid straight through his chest and his guttural cry rang loudly in her ears as she was forced to release her hold on his neck at last, falling hard on her back. Gorwooken fell to his knees slowly, the lightsaber disengaging and falling freely from him. He looked over his shoulder at her as she pushed herself up on her elbows to look at him, staring into his wrath filled eyes.

"**His legacy... will not end here..." **He roared in agony, coughing up spews of blood. "**His legacy is... unstoppable. It will... live on." **He cried before falling forward, his movements ceasing.

She had killed him. She had won. He had left her no other choice. She felt as his body left this world... it left its mark on the Force. She couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes as she felt him along with the two others, dying in sync. She had become so sensitive to the force all of a sudden... was it her encounter with the map? This forest? She felt that stabbing feeling in her cut that made her want to curl up into a ball. It was this intense emotion that touched her core, soaring through her veins like a cold touch of the finger against her skin. It sent chills through her body and she couldn't find the words to speak for several moments. She needed to cleanse herself of this feeling. It didn't feel right. It felt wrong.

_There is no emotion..._

She sat up fully, looking at her left arm to see the fabric of her robe torn to shreds and her arm covered in scrapes and blood. It wasn't the worst wound she'd ever received and because of her adrenaline rush, she barely even felt the sting. Perhaps the cold air made her body numb. Was that it or was it something else?

"Lass..." She looked up at Jolee as he knelt down, taking her arm slowly and cautiously. "You got yourself a nasty looking wound here."

He ripped her sleeve, using the cloth to clean her gashes and yet... she didn't flinch once. Why had their deaths impacted her so much? It felt like the moment Taris cried out in anguish as the Sith eradicated the life there. The cry of pain that echoed through the Force, leaving its own wound on her. Jolee began wrapping her arm with a freshly cut piece of cloth as the others checked the fallen Wookiees just to be sure that they were truly dead. When they were certain, they gathered what materials they could from them before rejoining them.

"Samirah, are you all right?" Carth's worry was evident in his voice but he also seemed cautious as he approached. Could they see how it affected her? Was it that obvious? She was starting to feel rough around the edges and couldn't wait for a shower. Her head felt cloudy and it was taking everything she had to keep going. This needed to get finished before she ran out of energy.

"Yeah, I'm fine... it doesn't really hurt. We have to keep moving or it'll be too late to help Freyyr. We can't be delayed any longer." She explained almost as if she wasn't hurt at all. She was starting to be overwhelmed with this feeling or need to get off this planet. Something wasn't right with the place after all. The dark side. The vision she got when she touched that map... it was just like Dantooine, except she was prepared this time. Though it didn't make the image any less horrifying. It didn't make the feelings any less real.

As Jolee finished the bandage and did a simple heal on her arm- not completely healed but healed enough to allow her to finish what they'd started- she hoisted herself up from the ground.

"Are you sure?" Carth asked, stepping closer but she nodded her head, smiling numbly at him. She had no time to let these things affect her as they had. The taint of the dark side was so thick here; it waited in the shadows for a weak moment in her to strike and she vowed to show it none.

"Positive Carth, let's go. We have a village to save." She promptly turned, pushing all of her concerns to the back of her mind as she retrieved her lightsaber before they approached the basket. She needed to focus on finishing this.

Upon reaching the basket, the thought struck Samirah that her last encounter with this basket had not gone so smoothly. She was also reminded that Gorwooken had been the operator of it. She knew nothing of how this mechanism was to work- they nearly all plummeted to their deaths the first time due to a malfunction in the rope. How were they going to make it up?

"I'm not sure where to begin..." Samirah started, stepping forward in a daze.

They all stepped into the basket, examining all the inner workings in an attempt to discover how it worked. Jolee didn't look around too much, he knew very well he couldn't work the damnable thing. He insisted on staying in one of the corners and just watching all the other kids figure it out. Most notably, he kept his eye on Samirah. What everyone else didn't notice, he most certainly picked up on. Samirah was hesitant as she walked, very much aware of all the markings that were reminders of her fall into the depths of Kashyyyk.

She knelt down beside the spot where she had pierced her blade through the floor of the basket. She stared at the burns across the wood from her lightsaber, splintered wood, gashes and even slight scratch marks from her nails. Her desperate attempts to stay in the basket. She replayed the event in her mind: the basket swaying and tilting, her body free falling from the edge and the echoes of her name being called out. A shiver was sent through her spine. She wasn't entirely thrilled about the adventure back up. She frowned at the scene as footsteps lightly padded across the floor behind her.

"We searched for you." She looked up to see Bastila, staring at the same spot she was. "I couldn't feel you through the force... you were hidden from me. It was like you had disappeared. Like you never existed. No matter how I called out for you, no matter how hard I searched... you weren't there to answer. I couldn't find you."

Samirah furrowed her brow at Bastila before the Jedi finally pulled her eyes away to stare back at her. Samirah couldn't remember ever hearing Bastila through the force. Through the bond. She had heard nothing. The basket creaked slightly, Carth and Canderous bickering over something to do with a lever while Jolee just hovered around the edges, chuckling to himself.

"I never heard you, or even felt you for that matter... Bastila, I'm-" She waved Samirah away.

"Oh hush, I don't want to hear it." She smirked ever so slightly, the smile more rueful then anything. Despite what she was saying, Bastila was still worried. She still couldn't sense Samirah even though she stood next to her. What was it? Was Samirah somehow hiding from her? Was the forest hiding her? What was it that kept the bond so cold?

"What matters is you are safe again with us. I just wanted you to know that I did look for you and that I wasn't going to give up on that search. " Deciding that there was nothing more she could do, Bastila left it alone for now. Perhaps the shadows of the forest hid more than just its secrets. She then moved away to chastise the men bickering on the other side of the basket. They were getting them nowhere and Jolee was only amusing himself with the spectacle.

Samirah smiled as she moved to the edges of the basket, her hand brushing against the wood before searching the lever for any indication of how it worked. It seemed almost too big and too sturdy for her to move out of pure strength. Perhaps if she asked for the aid of the Force, it would move it but would that be all that was acquired in order to move the basket up. The amount of energy that would take, however, was not a luxury she could afford. She might not be able to hold it all the way to the top. Unfortunately, she had to try something at this point... anything.

"By the Force..." She whispered out of agitation. Her head was showing the beginnings of a headache. It stemmed from behind her eyes and was working its way out. She needed to focus and ignore the throbbing pain just long enough to get them home on the _Ebon Hawk._ Long enough to save Zaalbar...

**"It would seem that you are more than I thought, human..."**The roar made her freeze instantly and a loud _thunk_ sounded behind her. She whirled around, her lightsaber ready in hand as it ignited with a vibrant green color. Then she saw the Wookiee who stood in the middle of the basket, appraising her thoughtfully as he approached. Everyone grew quiet, surprised at his sudden appearance.

"You're the..." He bowed his head in acknowledgment to her unspoken words. The Wookiee she had met before their decent. The hunting put away her weapon, letting out a sigh of relief as he spoke.

**"Freyyr has come back, and told me of what you did for him. My fellow hunters split on what should be done upon this knowledge of his return."**Chorrawl paused a moment, low groan escaping him.**"Some were loyal to Chuundar alone... we had to fight. Freyyr went to the throne room to challenge Chuundar. I will take you to him now." **He turned to attend to the basket and insure there were no problems with it. Samirah moved quietly to him, touching his arm hesitantly. He stopped moving and just looked forward, refusing to look at her.

"Wait, Chorrawl... you fought your brethren? I don't understand, was there no-" He interrupted her, speaking quickly and never once looking at her as he spoke.

** "We follow the Chieftain, whoever that is. If the position is in doubt, we each fight for the side we believe in. This must be decided quickly or there will be much more bloodshed. But I must ask that we hurry..."** He stopped and finally turned to look at her.**"Things are due for a change, little Jedi."**

Samirah nodded her head, noting that there really wasn't any more time to waste. She walked quickly to the edge of the basket, closing the small gate as everyone settled in. He prepped the basket and Samirah promptly sat in the middle of the basket. She crossed her legs, getting comfortable before she began to focus and concentrate on the basket itself. She reached out with the force, just enough to give her a feel of the wood. If anything did happen, she wouldn't be caught off guard and would hopefully be in a position to save them.

Force willing, nothing would go awry. She didn't think she had the strength for it. She shivered as the voices resounded in her mind. Not just screams... but someone's laughs.

"Samirah?" She looked up at Carth, startled for moment, to see him standing by one of the columns. He was relaxed, leaning against it as he watched her from the edges of the basket. Relaxed as he was, there was still a readiness about him. They hadn't really spoken since they parted ways so that she could get the map without them. When they had met up again with Freyyr, she was too engrossed by their mission that she hadn't said more than two words to him. She had all but ignored him and not by choice.

She let out a small sigh before smiling at him softly, her attempt to reassure him that she was fine. She couldn't afford to show them weakness, no matter how much she may be falling apart.

"I just need to clear my thoughts, Carth. It's nothing to worry about, I promise... just a little tired from the adventure thus far is all." She spoke softly, more so than usual. Looking at her now, that child-like smile on her face made her seem all the more fragile. She was covered in dirt from head to toe, no time to be clean of all the mud and grime thus far, only added to her childish features. He nodded slowly, not wanting to pry it out of her. She responded with a slow nod of her own, taking a few calming breaths.

He was very much aware of her distance. It wasn't intentional, but it was there. She was here but it almost seemed mechanical; her motions, her words, her eyes- as if she wasn't really aware of her surroundings but rather in a trance of sorts. He watched as she closed her eyes, going into a meditative state as the basket began its slow ascent. He watched her lips as they began to move slowly, possibly reciting one of her many mantra's in hushed tones. Mantra's she was sure to have learned from Bastila along with the influence of meditative stances. She seemed more like Bastila then her own adventurous self. Her skin seemed to be have a slight flush to it, her eyebrows knitted tightly together and he was sure she was shivering but that could be due to the cool breeze.

The hell happened to her? She was fine when they parted ways but now... now she seemed shaken. It was unnerving to know that she had come across something that made her uneasy. She wasn't one to just drop down into a mediation like this or to try and clear her thoughts. Clear her thoughts? No. That was Bastila. The prim and proper star pupil of the Jedi Council. Not Samirah, the Republic scout with a penchant for getting into trouble. What had she seen? What was disturbing her so much that she had to bunker down like that. Carth gripped the arm of his jacket as her lips moved faster and only a few words being loud enough to be barely heard. Words like _strength _and _peace _echoing out_. _

_What she needs is support. Someone who has faith in her..._

The words echoed in his head like a virus and her frowned.

Carth looked over at Canderous as he paced back and forth. His eyes looking over into the expanse of the forest and at the darkness that enveloped it. He stopped momentarily to glance at Carth and their eyes met. Canderous gave him half a smile before looking away and continuing his slow pace. It was like he knew what Carth was thinking and the influence he had had on him. Carth breathed out in frustration, turning around to look over the railing. He fingers wrapped around the wood and he squeezed it, his fingers twisting over the wood and producing splinters in his hand. He didn't care. Canderous was right. He needed to give her his strength and his faith. It was what she needed.

Not more distrust and uncertainty.

_Look, I am __**not **__going to betray you! What's it going to take to prove to you that I won't betray you! I am __**not **__Saul!_

_ Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?_

He gritted his teeth as the memory brushed through his mind. He hadn't really been by her side at all. He had been nothing but a burden to her, spouting at her about his distrust and pushing all his problems on her when she didn't need any more. She wasn't exactly having a hell of a time herself. Her life was changing. She was being thrust into matters that didn't concern her, didn't involve her and was by no means her problem. She should have been able to walk away freely but a force beyond them compelled her to stay. She was made to be a major piece in a war she never wanted to be in and he, not once, gave her any strength. Not once did he make her feel needed. Not once did her make her feel like she belonged.

He was despicable for it. He felt like a wretched human being.

He looked up at the expanse above him. The sky was just a speck of light amongst the trees. He saw nothing more than the canopies and the wood that blocked the way. He let out a shaky breath. He needed help from somewhere he was not accustomed to asking it from.

"_I-I don't know if this is how it works,"_ he whispered to himself,_ "or-or if there is some kind of ritual I need to go through. Sacrifice a Bantha or something... but whatever is out there, whatever it is that Samirah draws her strength from and believes in... she needs you. _I_ need you. This... Force... that she depends on, you are- you are exactly what she needs and _I..." He paused, looking down to shake his head. What was he doing? Speaking to something that was far beyond him and his own being?

Was the Force, this entity that surrounded Jedi, sentient? Could it hear him? Help him? Perhaps he had just gone mad. This forest they had just finished trekking through... he felt as if at every turn, there was something that watched them. Whether it was his own paranoia, the dark side or simply the Force- hell, he didn't know. He couldn't even pretend to understand it. Samirah understood though. Samirah relied on it. It was her strength so whether he understood it or not... it was not meant for him. He sighed again, running his hand through his hair, all covered in dirt and leaves. He looked up at the canopy of trees to which they grew closer too once more.

"_Whatever you are, whatever powers you posses... I need you to help her. I need you to keep her... strong. Watch out for her, protect her- hell, I don't know. Just don't let this mission be the end of her. She deserves so much more than this... I just need to let her know, somehow... that I do trust her. I do have faith in her. I do..."_ He stopped, allowing his words to fall on deaf ears. He waited for a moment, wondering if a sign would present itself but nothing happened. All her heard was the wind whistling by.

He chuckled to himself. Being lost in the woods for too long... Jolee was right. It does make you mad.

* * *

The ascent back up seemed to last much longer than their earlier journey into the depths of Kashyyyk. Samirah didn't move in the slightest bit during the venture. When the basket came to a halt, Chorrawl opened to gate and ushered everyone out except for Samirah. She was the only one who had yet to move. She remained frozen in her meditative state, her lips moving quickly but no words could be heard. Bastila walked back slowly, coming to a stop before her. She could sense her faintly through the force and what she sensed was troublesome. Turmoil, pain, and pure exhaustion extending throughout her body. She seemed to be shivering, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead and a flush across her cheeks.

_Power. More power. An endless supply... within my reach._

_ No! No! No! Please! Noooo!_

Their screams...

Bastila placed a timid hand on the young Jedi's shoulder, gently shaking her. Samirah's eyes shot open immediately and she smacked Bastila's hand away with one hand and quickly grabbing hold of her neck with the other. Bastila sucked in air, her eyes growing wide as Samirah's hold on her neck grew tight. Her breathing was hitched, her eyes wide and her paled skin was riddled with beads of sweat. When Bastila looked into her frantic eyes, there was something that was buried in their depths that both worried and disturbed her. What was going on inside of her head? What was troubling her so?

"S-S-Samirah!" Bastila choked before Samirah blinked in comprehension.

When Samirah realized where she was and who with, she quickly let go of Bastila and flinched away as if her fingers had been burned. Bastila grasped her neck, rubbing at the spot absent-mindedly as she kept her eyes on Samirah. Samirah allowed her body to relax, forcibly pushing that moment of fear from her features. She looked around quickly before pressing her fingers to her forehead.

"F-forgive me, Bastila… I didn't mean… I just... you don't... W-We need to keep moving." She breathed out slowly. "Freyyr… he's... he's waiting…" She got up from the basket's floor slowly, Bastila mimicking her motions with caution.

"Samirah, are you alright?" Despite asking the question, Bastila knew she was far from it. Something was off and something was plaguing her. Her mind and her heart was disturbed… but more than that, she was falling apart.

Samirah nodded her head, not meeting Bastila's eyes as she straightened her robes. She took a few centering breaths, closing her eyes and allowing the Force to encompass her. When she was ready, she walked to join the others who had waited outside the basket for them. To no one's surprise, Carth and Canderous where whispering furiously at each other. Presumably about what to do or perhaps trivial matters. Neither of which was productive. Upon the approach of Samirah, the two men stopped their squabble and stepped aside.

"Samirah, you don't—"Carth started but she interrupted him quickly as she scoped the area.

"Where's Chorrawl?" She asked quickly, looking around and for all intents and purposes—magically seemed ok again. For the moment at least. She drew strength from the Force, hoping it would help her prevail to Chuundar. Canderous and Carth didn't say anything as scoped the area for Chorrawl.

Chorrawl dropped from the branches, landing with a quiet thud but a loud growl.

"**We must waste no more time… I have word from the village and all is not well. We must move quickly or lose the footing we had gained."**

"Wait, what's going on?" Samirah persisted, holding her hands out in front of her to ease him but Chorrawl shook his head.

"**No time, we must hurry. Something has happened…"**

* * *

Chuundar sat on his throne, the smile on his face clear to Zaalbar as he sat in the corner. His face was bruised and he was scuffed up rather badly but that would hardly be enough to dim the fire of his hatred. Given the chance, he would rip Chuundar, limb from limb. His gaze was cold as he watched his brother sully the title his father had carried so honorably. He pulled on the chains slightly, the sound of the metal across the floor alerting the Czerka man beside him. The man promptly hit him with the butt of his gun, hissing at him to stay still and keep quiet.

Zaalbar grumbled in displeasure, which only made the man feign another blow to his head.

"Shut-up, you stupid creature…" The man growled at him. "I'll hit you again if you provoke me."

"Orin, enough…" Zaalbar looked to see the Czerka man in charge standing beside Chuundar. His eyes narrowing at Zaalbar carefully before looking to the man named Orin. "He has to be in well enough shape to be sold. Touch him no more." Orin just nodded, a grimace in place as he resumed his place beside Zaalbar. Big Z couldn't help the snarl that escaped his lips and the anger that radiated from him. The sound of the Czerka Officer clearing his throat made Zaalbar look at him as the man glared from across the room.

"Do not misunderstand, beast. I care not for your welfare, only the price your head will get us. If you prove more trouble then you're worth..." He left the threat open ended as he smirked at Zaalbar.

Zaalbar bowed his head. As time progressed, he grew angrier and yet he also grew more tired. Where were the others? Where was Mission? The Jedi named Samirah? Where was the entirety of the crew who ventured to the Shadowlands. As a child, it was a place his father would send him to prove his worth to the village. His father would tell him that as the son of the Chieftain, he had more to prove to the village. He had to show strength. He had to show courage. He had to show that he was worthy to be the son of the great Chieftain.

When you entered that forest, however... you didn't come back the same, if you ever came back at all. Zaalbar knew all too well the mysteries of that place... the darkness that dwelled there. By Bacca, he prayed that they would come back and come back unscathed. If Mission was safe, they didn't need to come back for him...

Chuundar barely even paid any mind to Zaalbar and the Czerka agents as his eyes were set on that one entrance. His spies had been in place. He knew, without a doubt, that his father was coming back for his throne. Poor old Freyyr thought he could best Chuundar and win back the village. Old Wook must have been much farther gone down the path of madness than Chuundar had first anticipated. He had no chance of reclaiming any of this. It was no longer his to reclaim. The people would never accept him back: The Madclaw.

There was a clamor outside the door that drew his attention and he smirked.

Chuundar got up from his throne, standing tall as a small fight ensued before the door swung open to reveal Freyyr. His personal guard stood on the ready to strike down the old Wook but Chuundar signaled for them to stay their hands. He was not ready to strike him down just yet. As his father entered, Chuundar saw that he was not alone. So he regained some followers? It didn't matter. They wouldn't be enough.

**"So you live, father. Welcome to the family reunion. How many years has it been since our family fell to ruin? Zaalbar the first to fall due to madness and then you, our Chieftain to follow suit. Must I be the one to end your reign of terror?"** He let out a small chuckle-like roar as he smiled smugly at him.

Freyyr slowly approached his son, well aware of the eyes on him. All but the eyes of Zaalbar, who sat quietly in the corner, at a loss. Where were the others? Where was Samirah Alda? What had happened? They were supposed to be with him...

**"It is I who will end this, my son. By the blade of Bacca's sword, I have come to end this treachery you have brought to our village!"** He held the broken sword high above his head, earning the silence of the room. A few of Chuundar's personal guard slowly lowered their weapons as they looked to Chuundar. He snarled at Freyyr.

**"You... you have Bacca's blade?" **His body tensed, the anger radiating through him as Freyyr flaunted the revered artifact. How dare he. He would not lose this. **"So what! I have the hilt, held by each **_**true**_** Chieftain in recent memory! Even you claimed it was all-important, father!"**

This declaration seemed to split the occupants of this small throne room. Several whispered furiously to each other while some hardly said a word, waiting to see what was decided. Chuundar refused to let this old Wook best him. He needed to win the people to his side.

**"We both have our ancient trinkets, so who will the people follow now? You? You are old and weak! You are a **_**Madclaw!"**_He cried, a few loyal followers roaring in agreement. Those that backed Chuundar moved closer to him while those loyal to Freyyr backed him up. The room was split, Freyyr wielding Bacca's blade and Chuundar holding the hilt.

Zaalbar watched from his corner as the two exchanged words, roaring angrily as the respective sides were on the verge of ripping each other apart. Rwookrrorro was on the verge of a civil war now. If this persisted, the village would suffer. He noted that the Czerka man in charge of watching him had moved away from the fight, his eyes watching the angry Wookiees timidly while the Wookiee guards had moved to protect Chuundar. This provided an advantage for him. No one was paying him any mind now.

Zaalbar stood up quickly, not waiting a moment before swinging his arms into the Czerka man who had struck him. Orin was caught off guard and flung against the walls effortlessly. His cry of pain alerted the others of Zaalbar's momentary freedom. The chains still bound him, however, so he only had so much of it.

**"Enough!"** He cried out at them. **"I will not sit idly by as you two tear Rwookrrorro apart! This village will not suffer anymore! It cannot! Stop this fight!" **He protested.

Freyyr, having set eyes on his exiled son for the first time since his banishment, was at a momentary loss. This was his son. A son he had wronged.

**"Silence!"**Chuundar roared. **"You do not have permission to speak here, Madclaw! Restrain him!" **He ordered as two of his personal guards moved to quell him. He went into a defensive stand, prepared to take them on while his father started to move to help his son quickly. However, he was stopped as both guards were hoisted into the air and were sent sailing across the room in a violent manner. They slammed into the walls, collapsing to the floor with a thud before going still.

"Lay another finger on him and I swear by the Force, you'll regret I ever came to this planet."

All eyes turned to the door where the voice rang loud and clear. Zaalbar, most of all, cried out in joy upon hearing her voice.

**"Samirah!"** She stood at the door, her lightsaber drawn and ready as she stared down Chuundar.

However, upon further inspection, something wasn't right about her. Her skin seemed lighter to him, paler, and her stance was all wrong to him. In his mind, Samirah appeared to him as a kind-hearted human. Subtle in movements, careful, calm, sensitive, a smile always in place and a protective nature for all who followed her. This woman before him did not exhibit these traits he had come to know. This one was... angry, troubled, distressed and determined. Familiar and yet foreign. Zaalbar could see that something had happened. Behind her stood Carth and Canderous, their weapons drawn and each pointed at different Wookiees while Bastila stood by Samirah. There was another, an old man Zaalbar couldn't recall from recent memory.

The crazy old hermit? No... he would be long dead by now, surely.

Chuundar roared angrily.

**"Will. You. Not. Die!" **He exclaimed, using all his might to topple the throne he once sat upon.

"It's over, Chuundar. Let this go. There is no more need for bloodshed. You were wrong and you are beaten." She declared, taking a step forward as her green blade hummed. Her eyes were narrowed and focused intently on him as he moved. Chuundar only shook his head, an eerie roar rumbling in his chest. A laugh.

**"No, human. I am not." **He backed up slowly. **"Shorwarr... why don't you join us with the guest..." **From a door that was off to the side, presumably Chuundar's quarters, a Wookiee appeared.

He surveyed the room before tossing a small, blue Twi'lek before Chuundar. For a moment, she didn't move and Samirah's breath caught in her throat. Zaalbar bellowed out in anger, pulling as hard as he could against his restraints while calling out his friend's name. Chuundar reached down and picked her up by the back of her jacket, holding her out to show that her hands were bound in the front.

"Mission..." Samirah breathed, her temper rising with each passing moment. Bastila placed a hand on her shoulder but Samirah didn't register it. She didn't care. Right now, her only focus was Mission.

**"This child was snooping about... not a place for a kid." **Chuundar taunted. **"Had to put an end to her rambling temper too. Better teach her better manners next time."** Samirah reached out with the Force and could feel Mission's presence. She was alive, for now. She seemed hurt but fortunately, nothing badly. That, however, did nothing to alleviate the rage that was building up inside of Samirah.

"Put. Her. Down." Samirah said slowly. Chuundar only chuckled, the rumble in his chest shaking Mission slowly. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, her head swaying a bit as she tried to regain consciousness. Chuundar held a blade to Mission's throat, jerking her conscious as the tip was pressed against her blue skin.

Immediately, Mission found Samirah and their eyes were locked. Samirah saw the fear that held tightly to Mission for a brief moment before she tried to remain defiant.

**"You are in no position to give me orders..."**

** "Chuundar!"**Freyyr yelled. **"This is over, do not be a fool!"**

** "A fool? A fool! Would a fool be able to build an empire? Would a fool be able to do the things I've done!"**

** "You've done nothing but destroy this village! Betrayed us all!"**

As Freyyr and Chuundar yelled at one another, all the sound seemed to grow distant to Samirah as she watched Mission. In that moment, Samirah felt nothing. Zaalbar roared in the corner, aimlessly pulling at his chains; Mission shaken with fear as Chuundar's blade was pushed to her throat, her eyes stuck on Samirah and of course, the father and the son at war. The village was pulling itself apart and she'd be damned if she allowed them to pull her crew down with them.

This was never their fight and yet they always got mixed in to other people's qualms. Could nothing ever be easy? Could nothing ever be straight forward enough for them to do what they had set out to do?

Her free hand was balled into a fist as the Force thickened around her.

Bastila felt it first. It was like a tidal wave of power forming at Samirah's finger tips. Her anger combined with the power of the force was a dangerous combination. She needed to stop her but before she could react, Samirah's hand shot forward at Chuundar. His body was propelled upward, his hold on Mission and the blade releasing as he hit the ceiling before being flung to the floor. In that instant, the battle was started. Each side baring arms against the other. Carth and Canderous spread out and began fire against Czerka agents stationed inside. Bastila and Jolee moved quickly to free Zaalbar while Samirah aimed her sights on Chuundar. He immediately scrambled to his feet as she flourished her blade.

His nostrils flared as he lurched towards her only to be thwarted by a flick of her wrist. He was sent sailing into a wall behind him as she kept coming closer. When he looked up again, she was in front of him, reeling her hand back and hitting him across the face. He retaliated instantly by swinging at her as she ducked, launching a side kick into his gut. What she didn't anticipate due to her focus on Chuundar was his lackey, Shorwarr, catching her from behind. He had his arms wrapped around her and was squeezing the air out of her as Chuundar quickly got to his feet. Samirah squirmed before changing her hold of her lightsaber and stabbing it into his leg.

He howled in pain, dropping her and allowing her the freedom to swing a swift kick to his jaw. She followed up with a quick plunging motion of her lightsaber, straight through his chest and yanking it out roughly. She gave him no second thought as she heard his body_ thump_ against the floor. That Wookiee was just another upstart and not the focus of her attention any longer. She looked back to Chuundar, repositioning herself into an offensive form and holding her lightsaber accordingly. She wasn't letting him go anywhere. He crossed the line when he threatened Mission.

Jolee had pulled Mission out of the fight and was tending to her off to the side. Carth and Canderous maneuvered themselves between the fight and the two behind them in an effort to keep them safe from any malicious intent. He cut the ropes binding her hands and checked her for any other wounds not immediately obvious to them. For the most part, she seemed to only be shaken up a bit.

"T-thanks..." She muttered, still trying to get a hold of her surroundings. Bastila, who had gone to free Zaalbar, was now fighting off a Wookiee holding a vibroblade while Big Z was tackling a group of Czerka with ease.

Carth and Canderous were providing cover fire as best they could, focusing their shots where they could best help their comrades in the fight. For once, Mission wasn't arguing about being kept out of it. The events of the past hour were like a blur to her and she felt like she was forgetting something. For the most part, Czerka seemed intent on protecting Chuundar as best they could since he was the puppeteer of this outfit. Without him, Czerka had no hopes of continuing their slave trade on Kashyyyk. They were finding it difficult, however, since Freyyr was keeping them at bay.

Bastila and Zaalbar seemed to be holding their own off to the far corner of the room. Bastila was swinging her double-bladed lightsaber around, the yellow blade humming sharply with each swing and Zaalbar backing her up with a vibroblade he had acquired. Carth wasn't really that worried about those two; they made a rather good team. The one he was most worried about was obviously Samirah. She went straight for Chuundar. Carth couldn't focus too much on their battle as some of the Czerka men armed with blasters hid behind the throne and took shots at them, their only cover a wicker basket. Not exactly an ideal situation.

"Hey, Soldier boy! You mind picking up the heat a bit? I don't want to take all the credit for these kills!" Canderous taunted, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest as blaster fire soared by his head. Carth sighed, nearly exasperated at the Mandalorian's carefree nature.

"I'm not here to satisfy you or to compete for-" Canderous let out a roaring laugh, quickly moving out from cover to let loose a couple of shots. To Carth's surprise, the shots hit their marks and two of the Czerka men fell. Only one was left, stunned by the sudden attack and slack-jawed as he stared at his comrades.

"I don't blame you... from the looks of it boy, you're falling behind. Not much of a competition is there?" He remarked with a grin.

Carth just shook his head, not wanting to enable him any further. The lone Czerka man left standing behind the throne started to stumble backwards, dropping his blaster. When Carth looked to his side, Bastila was disengaging her lightsaber and Zaalbar dropping the blade as if it burned his hand to hold it. For a moment, he didn't move. Then, without a second thought, he crossed the room in quick strides until he was at Missions side.

"**Mission, I-" **He started but she shushed him with her hand.

"Aw, don't get all emotional on me Big Z. I'm just glad you aren't hurt. What would I do without you?" She joked as if there was never any danger to start with. "And would it kill ya to give a girl a heads up when you plan on being kidnapped? I mean, sheesh! It would save me from a little worry." She rolled her eyes in mock irritation, grinning when Big Z just groaned.

The only opposition they still faced was Chuundar and the lone Czerka man who was retreating to the back room. Carth didn't think he was worth following seeing as how the true threat was still alive- Chuundar. Freyyr stood on the sidelines, his anxious body an indicator that he hated watching the fight between his son and the Jedi girl. Carth started to move, aiming to help her when Canderous grabbed the barrel of his blaster, lowering it. When Carth looked at him to argue, he was stopped by the stern expression Canderous wore- his eyes glued to the fight.

"Not our fight, Soldier boy. There is honor to be had here." He stated quietly. "If anyone of us were to truly interfere with this fight, however, it ought to be the Wookiees. We've done our part. Let them do theirs." Carth balled his hand into a fist, sighing with a nod. He had a point. It was up to Samirah. Again.

From the looks of the fight thus far, Samirah seemed to possess the edge. Why shouldn't she? She was a mildly trained Jedi with an exceptional amount of power behind her. What was bothering him about that? She twirled her lightsaber around, circling Chuundar as he mirrored her motions, a vibroblade in his hand. Her hair had fallen free from the ribbon previously holding her hair.

Without a second more to spare, she darted for him, racing her blade up high and swinging it down in a flourish. Chuundar side stepped her, swinging his own blade for her head only to be disappointed when she moved out of the way, facing him as she prepped for another strike. He wasn't about to allow her to escape so easily and managed a hit with his elbow, catching her at the temple of her head. The force of the hit knocked her back into the wall behind her as she stumbled to stay standing. Not hesitating, Chuundar swung his fist at her head, aiming to end the fight. She slid down the wall, Chuundar punching a hole through the wooden wall above her head angrily.

With a swift movement of her hand, she slammed her palm into his knee and produced a loud audible crack from it. She had exerted just enough of her Force power into her palm to break his knee cap in one swift motion. He roared in agony, crumbling to the floor as she delivered a swift kick to his jaw. His face moved in an unnatural way as a crack followed after. He remained kneeling on the floor with his one good knee, his hand on his chin as he grumbled. He looked at her with angry eyes, the fires of his hatred staring her down. She hated those eyes. She couldn't stop herself from harnessing a ball of power in her hand and shooting it at his chest in a swift motion. His body lurched forward as he was propelled back, his body slamming into his very own throne. He coughed up blood on the floor beside him, looking up at her with a snarl.

"**You never should... have interfered..." **He grumbled. "**Why should you, of all people... even care..." **It obviously pained him to speak, his jaw impairing his ability to speak loudly. He surveyed the area, noting how he had already lost the battle. "**You've ruined... it all and for what? So an old Wook... too far past his prime, can reclaim... a broken past?" **He growled, coughing with a guttural chuckle.

Samirah wiped a trail of blood from her mouth, her body heaving from all the exertion of force power. She'd used way too much of it and her body was wearing down. She felt beyond exhaustion and was holding on by the sheer willpower of seeing this through. Of seeing Chuundar pay for even _thinking _he could threaten Mission and still live. Before long, however, she was sure she'd have no more energy left.

"You've lost..." She murmured. "Accept it." He shook his head, meeting her eyes.

"**Lost? You think... this is failure?"** He chuckled, coughing up more blood in response. "**You don't know what I've done for my people... what I alone... started. Everyone else... too weak to do what I did... too frail. You haven't changed... anything. A Madclaw will always be... a Madclaw. An old Wook... always a fool. I regret... nothing." **He spat at her and she balled her fist.

Despite her exhaustion, despite the dizziness she felt from this entire adventure... the hatred she was feeling for this Wookiee was overpowering all other emotions. The adrenaline running through her veins was enough to keep her standing and to keep the weight of everything on her shoulders at bay.

**"Then I feel no sorrow for you, son."** Freyyr stepped up, stopping beside Samirah as he shook his head at his boy. "**You have shamed me... more so than any father should ever have to suffer."**

**"Ha!" **Chuundar scoffed as another fit overtook him. "**You are no father... of mine... I should have killed that Madclaw... and that Twi'lek..." **He grinned as the anger flared up another notch in Samirah. She immediately lurched forward, her lightsaber flaring up as she intended to strike him down where he laid but the arm of Freyyr stopped her, holding her back.

**"No! Young Jedi! Do not strike him out of anger!" **He pleaded, agony somehow penetrating through his roaring voice. Samirah tried to fight against him but couldn't break free. She wanted so badly to end his existence. **"He... He is my son! Mine! Flesh and blood, that of which I brought into this world..." **Samirah ceased her movements slowly as he spoke, nearly falling limp in his arms. She wanted to scream at Chuundar. To scream at Freyyr but somehow his sorrow seeped into the Force and into her. She felt what he felt and it was enough to overpower her. "**My... Son. It is my responsibility to take back that which is mine... that which is mine, though it shames me to claim him so."**

**"Fear not, **_**father**_**... for I never claimed... **_**you**_**... or even this... village of filth!"** Chuundar spat, coughing up blood as a fit took over him. Freyyr only looked him in the eyes with more compassion then he deserved. He moved Samirah behind him, her strength slowly fading.

**"You were my shame, Chuundar... my shame. You will disgrace this family, this tribe and this village **_**no more!**_**" **He cried before lifting the blade of Bacca and plunging it through the heart of his son. Into the heart of Chuundar… an act of which felt as if it were his own heart being wounded. Chuundar gasped and grunted, fresh blood being coughed up as his father looked away, pulling the blade out quickly. "**You were my blood! **_**My**_** blood!"**He cried into Chuundar's ear.

Though he was dying, he spared one last look to Samirah and then back to his father. Freyyr slowly laid his son down against the floor, watching as his last breaths escaped his mouth and his final words.

**"It was... my... legacy..."**Freyyr knelt down beside the body, shaking his head.

"**Yes... Chuundar... your legacy..."**

Samirah didn't know what to feel. For a moment, she felt nothing... until she felt his life fade from this world and it struck her in her gut, forcing her to double over. So much death was circling around this planet. So much darkness. She was dizzy. She shook her head, refusing to look on at Chuundar. He threatened Mission. He threatened Zaalbar. She should feel _nothing _for him besides contempt. She should _hate _him. He deserved this! He deserved it! She should feel no pity for him! Let the Force take him; let him find sympathy with those like him because he'll find none from her! So why... did she still feel it?

"Samirah?" She heard them calling her name as she fell to her knees, squeezing her eyes shut. It was overwhelming. All of it. This planet was a pariah to her: sucking all her energy away and she felt it on her brow as she quivered. It was almost as if every ounce of her willpower had been swept away… why?

_"Revan?"_

_Her eyes shot open, her head lifting slowly to see nothing but white. Her hands trembled and she felt numb, straightening to look around but seeing no one and nothing. She felt nothing. She was back in that suspended void in time…_

"_Revan…" The voice echoed throughout the white space before her, reaching every inch of space._

_"Revan, what should we do with this one?" The question was followed by loud screams and cries of agony. Samirah covered her ears, shaking her head in defiance to the images despite knowing she would still hear them. She shut her eyes tightly, shutting out the white expanse of this damnable emptiness before her. _

"_We should destroy them… them and their council. They've hidden so much from us—they've kept us in the dark, Revan. They made us who we are. They forced us into this. Should we not show them the dangers of keeping us in dark places… we have found comfort in it, have we not? Hide someone in the darkness and one day, they will master it." Malak._

_She opened her eyes slowly, seeing the ghostly image of Malak walking past her. He was pacing. His face was whole; not the mechanical substitute he had for a jaw but a jaw of a man. His voice had lost that mechanical sound and now produced a rough, huskier voice. He stopped pacing, holding his hand out in front of him and flexing his fingers. A look of awe overtook him for a moment as he examined every line and feature of his hand._

"_They'll wish they'd never forced us into such a state. A pity we ever trusted them from the start. Undeniable… power…" He let the sparks fly from his fingers and directed the current forward. A moment later, another scream surfaced and Samirah pressed her palms harder against her ears. It was useless. The voices were nearly coming from inside her head. The screams, ringing in her soul each time they cried out for it to stop._

_"No!" The voices screamed. "Please...Stop!" They cried but to no avail. It did not stop. It did not cease. _

_And then the smell. The smell of burning flesh and sweat seeping out of this vision to sweep around her in overwhelming amounts. The gurgling cries as people were dying under his power. The screams of family, friends or perhaps even foreigners- screams and pleas for the torture to stop. It didn't._

"_Malak… that's enough…" This voice rang out in her ears as a saving grace. She opened her eyes for a moment, to see Malak lowering his hand as Revan swept by. The mask upon the Dark Lords face concealing the lord's face and voice. Revan was stroking the chin of the mask, hardly taking a second glance at Malak. "We have much work to do… much more to find… finish your business here. Quickly."_

_Malak's eyes never left the nameless victims before him. As Revan moved past him, disappearing into some other expanse of this void, Malak's face turned up into a twisted smile._

"_Yes, you are right master…" He looked back to his hand, flexing it again as he chuckled to himself. Samirah saw it. Saw what perhaps Revan never did. That change in Malak, that craving for power. "We have much to discover… A legacy to create. There is much more Power to procure, this I am sure of now. An endless supply of it and all within... my... reach!"_

_Samirah sat there, helpless as Malak thrust his hand out with all his might and a terrible light of power shot from his hand. Samirah could do nothing as the final screams of these unknown people rang for the final time. They were dying at this man's terrible power. Malak dropped his hand, turning on his heel, and following after his master into some unknown expanse of this void. His voice echoing out behind as one particular body fell into few from the shadowy edges of this vision._

_His body was mangled and burned, his eyes staring blankly back at her. It was as if he knew that she did nothing to save him. As if he knew that she just sat there and watched... listening to his screams. His body was beyond recognition and his lower lip quivered before falling still, his life slowly leaving his body but not before making him suffer. How many had just died? How many cries had she heard? _

_Malak's words echoed in his wake._

_"A legacy to discover, I am sure. A galaxy to enslave... to conquer."_

_Malak was searching for a terrible power. Revan, searching for the knowledge behind it. Knowledge and Power were two forces that flirted heavily with the dark side. Samirah felt the waves of dark power roll off Malak in gushes and she shivered, falling to the floor of this void and curling up in a ball._

_She started to cry into her hands._

_The smell still hung in her nose, somehow stained into her clothes... or was it her memory? Why did she have to see these things? What was there for her to claim from seeing such things? Why? Why? Why!?_

_She was never meant to be a Jedi. This was never meant to be her destiny. They got the wrong person. They got the wrong..._

_Something erupted beside her, a gust of hot hair blowing in her face. She sat up slowly, looking around to see where it came from. What now? What was going on?_

_**"...crazy?! That was dangerous!" **__Carth? He sounded so far away from her..._

_That's right... they were fighting Chuundar and trying to save Kashyyyk. What was happening now? What had she done? She was supposed... no... Freyyr killed Chuundar. So what was she doing? Another burst of hot hair whipped her hair about her face and she felt herself begin to sweat and she fell back against the white expanse of the void. This time, she fell through the floor, hovering as she slowly descended from the white expanse into the darkness. Her body was cold..._

_Power... A legacy... a tribe?_

* * *

Samirah groaned, her body feeling heavy and weary from all the events that had transpired thus far. She noted how her body was being carried by someone, bouncing as they strode across the walkway. Her cheek was lying across their back, her arms limp and her legs being held up by their arms. Were they still on Kashyyyk? What was happening? She was struggling to open her eyes but she hardly had enough strength to do much more than that.

"That's not the point, Mission! You could have seriously been hurt?" The sound of Carth's voice made her open her eyes despite her weariness, albeit she could only do it weakly. At first, everything was blurry but eventually cleared up to reveal Carth and Mission running beside her.

"Geez, Carth. Give me a little credit! They may have caught me but not before I rigged the Czerka outposts. It was easy with T3's help, isn't that right little guy?" Their comlinks switched on as T3 chimed in response. "That's right! It's because of this that the Wookiee's will be able to reclaim their home! It's what I do, Carth. Explosions are my specialty." She said with pride, earning a groan from Carth.

"J-Just don't tell Samirah..." He shook his head, keeping up with everyone as they dashed down the walkway. From experience, she assumed it was Canderous who was carrying her and that suited her just fine.

Carth looked over at her and for a moment, her weary eyes met his. She didn't have enough strength to speak and somehow, she was sure Carth understood. He smiled softly at her and nodded in her direction.

"Rest up... you're going to be alright. We're getting off this planet... just rest easy..." He said a few other things but they were fading off into the background as she managed the tiniest of tiny smiles before closing her eyes.

Then she felt weightless. She succumbed to her state of lethargy. She felt as if she was suspended in air, floating aimlessly and flaccidly. Yes. Carth was right. In their company, she was safe for the time being. Physically, she was safe. Mentally however... she feared the worst. She feared what lied in the deep recesses of her mind... the recesses she pushed all the visions too. She whimpered silently as they re-emerged into her conscious again.

… _A legacy to create…_

…_A legacy…_

She would never rest...

* * *

**How was it? Was it worth the wait?**

**Hopefully I haven't disappointed and that I delivered a good chapter!**

**Reviews and Comments are always appreciated! I take to heart every criticism you all provide: good or bad. (I take it all as a lesson in improving!)**

**Also, I think I still have the poll up for what planet they'll visit next if you guys would like a say in it :) You have until... well, until I write the chapter I suppose lol you have until then to cast a vote if you so wish! ^-^ I'll try my hardest to update soon and work my fingers like mad!**

**Thank you my faithful readers, for everything.**

**May the Force give you its guidance and me its strength,**

**~~SS~~**


	30. Chapter 29: It Is Greatness

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that is LucasArts, Bioware or Disney. I do, however, own Samirah for she is my pride and joy.**

**Hello, faithful readers! I can't even begin to express my admiration to those who have stuck with me and messaged me over the time since I last updated. I know I keep saying I'll update soon and I wish that I could update sooner rather than later. Somehow, I keep pushing the next chapter further and further into back of my mind and when it resurfaces, I realize how much time has passed.**

**Consider this a special occasion. I have 2 ****Chapters**** written and ready for you all to read in a row! I'm updating them both, right now. They ended up longer then expected but that should be a good thing for you all, correct? Correct.**

**So enjoy and I won't take up anymore of your time with my little intro.**

**Enjoy, faithful readers!**

* * *

**It Is Greatness**

"_In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."_

"Carth, get us out of here!" Bastila shouted in a hurry as they boarded the _Ebon Hawk._ He didn't need to be told twice as he raced to the cockpit and jumped into his familiar seat at the helm. A momentary wave of relief washed over him as his familiar surroundings gave way to a short-lived reprieve of the dangers on Kashyyyk.

They were home. They were, for the moment, safe.

The fighting outside was loud. Fire was erupting at different corners of the landing zone and it was apparent that a warzone was breaking out on Kashyyyk's surface. The Wookiee's were reclaiming their home now that Chuundar was dead and his father reinstated as chieftain. Carth took control of the ship, flipping switches and disengaging the landing gears. He cursed audibly when he noticed the loading ramp was still down. What was taking them so long to get on board? They shouldn't be lingering here any longer than was necessary. He reached out for the ship intercom and switched it on, shouting into the speaker.

"_Everyone better be on this ship, prepared to take off and holding on to something fast! Get that loading ramp up! We're getting off this planet, now_!" He flicked the switch off and watched the indicator for a few moments, waiting for his green light.

A few minor explosions erupted off to the side as billows of smoke poured from the Czerka camp as a beacon of hope to the inhabitants of Kashyyyk. When the ramp was raised and he received the go ahead, he took no time pulling the ship up from the landing zone as a few stray shots from below hit the _Ebon Hawks _hull_._ He quickly maneuvered them out of harm's way before Czerka wised up and started firing at them from the anti-air craft guns stationed around the landing zone.

"Come on…" He grunted, wishing that the ship's engines would speed up just a little bit more.

When he heard the satisfying sound of the engines firing all the way up, he punched forward and lifted the _Ebon Hawk_ out of harm's way. It wasn't until they were over the port, however, that he noticed the flames engulfing the guns. He smirked as he pulled out of Kashyyyk's atmosphere, the fighting below becoming a faraway problem, much to his satisfaction.

"That'll teach them…" A small voice sounded from behind and Carth's smile only widened.

"What did ya say earlier? _That seems a little excessive, Mission. Excessive and unnecessary_…" She wiggled her hands in the air as she approached him, her voice a mock impersonation of him. "How about a little credit here? It ain't easy doing what I do." Mission plopped into the co-pilots chair, allowing it to swivel around continuously with her in it. She crossed her arms, careful to keep her eyes on him as it turned in case he decided to roll his at her. She was going to catch him in the act if he did.

He opted for chuckling instead. He had to hand it to her: it was due to her expertise and penchant for trouble that they had such a saving grace. They weren't in the clear yet, however. It was highly probable that they could still run into trouble—space was a landmine waiting to catch you on the defensive. For now, luckily, they were away from the bulk of trouble. Kashyyyk was sure to be a hot zone for a while.

"Alright, Mission. I'll hand it to you this time—only this time though! You could have seriously been hurt." He gave her a pointed look, the smile still slightly in place. She rolled her eyes, tilting her head from side to side in another mock notion. She was keeping the chair in a swiveling motion as she made her faces, making her seem even more like a child than she already was. Disappearing and then reappearing as the chair turned, making new faces at him.

"Yeah, alright _dad. _I'll keep that in mind but for now, a little credit would be nice. Enjoy the moment of _my_ success! You know, without my help, who knows what kind of trouble you guys would get in. Sheesh! Talk about underappreciated here! " She crossed her arms and Carth just shook his head.

"Zaalbar would have my head if anything ever happened to you. You know that as well as I do and quite frankly, he scares me more than you do." He said with a light smile. "I actually don't want to know what he'd do to me."

He kept his eyes set on the expanse of space before him as he focused on just getting them away from Kashyyyk for the time being. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as his hands tightened around the controls of the ship. "Samirah either…" Mission slowly stopped swiveling around in her chair, resting her head against the back of it and looking out through the glass window. For a moment, they were both quiet. They both were thinking along the same lines and worried about the same person.

"She's going to be okay, isn't she Carth?" Mission asked, turning her head to look at him. He didn't look back.

She wasn't there to see what happened. When Samirah left the _Ebon Hawk,_ she was her usual self. Ok, maybe not all that _usual. _She was a Jedi so Mission assumed she was pretty stressed about being all _Jedi-y_. Even Mission didn't think she could do it. Too many rules and regulations, too many strings attached—it just wasn't her kind of life style, ya know? Did it suit Samirah? Of course not! Samirah and Mission were like two Antarian peas in a pod so she probably didn't like it any more than Mission did, right? That would explain a lot of things… but not everything. She wasn't the same when they emerged from the forest. She wasn't Samirah.

She looked like the weight of the galaxy was pinning her down, keeping her from being anything but a droid. Minus the all the circuitry of course, same difference.

She waited, silently, for Carth to respond. He seemed to have been lost in his own thoughts and at last he let out a deep sigh, looking at her slowly.

"I don't know, Mission. I really don't know… "

* * *

"Lay her there, lad. Lass, get me a bowl of water and a kolto pack just in case." Jolee ordered quickly as Canderous gently placed Samirah down on the table.

She was breathing heavily, her body shivering violently as if she had been lost on Hoth for days. Canderous laid her down flat, straightening her legs and placing her arms at her side while Bastila hurried from the room to get the materials. Jolee shook his head, pulling a dry cloth from the cabinet and drying the sweat from her face. She was in bad condition. He placed a hand on her head, closing his eyes as he searched out with the Force. What was ailing her so much?

He reached out, feeling the dark taints that clouded her mind and invaded her body. Jolee grimaced, feeling the effects through the tendrils of the force. He himself knew of the dangers in the forest. Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. He had been a Jedi for many years, long before he even became stranded on Kashyyyk so his mind had been well prepared and well protected from its dangers. He was properly trained to fend off its influence. The darkness in the forest was nothing compared to the many agents of dark power he had come across in his youth. Childs play, really.

This girl, however… no, nothing would have been able to protect her from that exposure so soon. She was already working with a fractured will and spirit, her only shields against the dark side of the force. Against the dark powers at work. He knew that the moment he first saw her- he could feel the uncertainty. Yes, her resolve was there when it came time to make decisions but doubt was always at her heels.

Her uncertainties, her morals, her emotions- everything that made her who she was before becoming a Jedi was jeopardizing her very life. The Council allowed her to leave with these doubts, knowing full well what she may face. They didn't help her, they just gave her a lightsaber and said _here, go save the galaxy!_ Jolee shook his head, grimacing at the very idea. To make it worse, her only guidance in this difficult venture was that hotheaded Padawan learner who fought with the same problems and in his opinion, was not an ideal mentor for her to follow. She needed much more training herself. They were in the dark. They were fumbling around in the dark, blindly feeling around for some direction, hoping the other knew what to do. The Council was foolish in their endeavors, under preparing her for such trials. Under preparing them both. It was one of the many reasons why he left that damnable order.

The reaction she received when she touched the map… there was an imprint left from it. An imprint on the Force from it. He had always known of the maps existence, or at least of an artifact that festered in the forest-he was a damnable Jedi for Force's sake, not that that meant anything to anyone these days, but the fact of the matter was still there. He knew that contraption was in the forest but he had never been sure of its influence until now. Of how much dark power was really left on it.

Samirah groaned, nearly whimpering as she tossed about on the examination table. Jolee opened his eyes, frowning as her ailment became clear to him.

"Lad..." He started, looking pointedly at Canderous who was hovering around in the corner. The Mandalorian wrinkled his brows at Jolee, stepping forward. "Now don't fuss with me about it but I'm going to need you to hold her down while I fix her up."

"You want me to restrain her?" He asked incredulously. When Jolee didn't respond he shrugged before walking around the table and holding her upper arms down. She flinched from his touch and he only held her more firmly. "... Don't struggle..." He muttered under his breath.

"She may thrash about. You can't let her, got it lad?" He instructed sternly and Canderous nodded. She mumbled under her breath, a grimace taking over her features as Jolee resumed his position.

Jolee could sense the impurities that had been building up in her. Impurities from stress, from taints, from thoughts and visions. She had been unknowingly letting little slivers of darkness into her heart... this was not a good sign. It had snaked around inside of her for too long but Jolee did not fear it, he only feared what it could do to her if left to worsen her state. The taint would be harder to remove.

Not harder for him, but harder for her.

He placed both hands over her body. One hand over her mind, the other over her heart and pressed them gently to her skin. She shivered beneath his touch before he called upon the healing properties of the Force. He allowed the Force to channel through him like a spring of fresh water, pouring out over Samirah to wash away the taint. This was not a healing of the physical body but of the mental state. He heard echoes in his thoughts, the same echoes that he was sure tormented her. He wasn't creating a bond, but a temporary link so as to better assess the damage with the Force. What he was discovering bothered him and he needed to mend her quickly.

He closed his eyes, focusing intently as he crossed his hands back and forth, waving them over her body as he directed the Force. It was like a puppeteer controlling the strings of a puppet- he was the puppet of the Force as it told him where to go to purify her of the dark energy. The two key points were her mind and her heart so he focused on her heart first. He planted both hands on her heart firmly, letting the warmth envelop his hand and her chest. She flinched as he focused and lurched forward as if she was going to curl up into a small ball. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Canderous pushed her back down, grunting as she struggled against him.

"Come on, kid," He muttered, "It's just me... keep it together."

Jolee knitted his brows together, moving from her heart to her mind in hopes of helping her. A small sweat broke out on his forehead as he concentrated hard, channeling the Force. The process was like pulling splinters out slowly. Splinters so far imbedded into her body that they had to slowly be forced out. He needed Canderous to keep his hold on her a little bit longer. She continued to thrash about and made it more difficult for him to keep healing her. She finally managed a weak cry when Jolee reached the heart of her ailment... the darkness that swirled around inside her like a parasite.

_"Stop fighting me..." _He muttered under his breath, his hand firmly pressing against her head while the other hand wafted over her body. He had to exert more energy to keep her head against the table instead of jerking about, making it slightly harder for him to keep steady.

"Your voodoo magic going to help her?" Canderous questioned, momentarily disturbing his concentration.

"Lad, it's the _only _thing that's going to help her so pipe down and let me work!" He snapped and Canderous shut his mouth.

After several more moments and more jerking motions, her body finally went still. Jolee fell back against the wall of the ship, wiping away the sweat that had been accumulating as he worked. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand as he breathed a sigh of relief. Canderous relaxed his tense arms but didn't take them off of Samirah's shoulders. Her head lulled to the side, her face relaxing ever so slightly. After a few moments, Jolee pushed himself off the wall and approached Samirah, checking her pulse. Canderous stood on standby as he waited for her to start resisting them again.

"What's the verdict, old man?" He asked as Jolee moved his hand to her forehead and cheeks.

"Well, I did what I could for the child… I healed as much of her as I could. Seems she only has a fever left to deal with. A cold maybe. That's what you get for venturing into a damp forest, underprepared." He joked, lightheartedly. He gripped the bridge of his nose before looking up at the Mandalorian at his side. "A little rest will fix that. Her spirit also needs to recoup." As he said it, he couldn't help but wonder about the kernel of darkness that was lodged in her. Had he really purged her body of its taint or was there something more to it? In order for something to grow… there always had to be a seed. Had he rid her of the seed or had it evaded him?

Canderous slowly took his hands off of her shoulders and let out his own sigh of relief. Strands of her hair were matted to her forehead and her breathing had become deep and strained. She was burning up. Canderous placed a hand to her forehead and flinched from how hot she felt to him.

"As I said Sunny, she needs rest. Plenty of it, I'll say. Take her to her bed and let her sleep. And when she wakes up, we need to ensure she stays in bed." He said, looking pointedly at Canderous. He only chuckled in response.

"I think that can be arranged, old man." He joked, sliding his arms underneath her and lifting her with ease. She shuddered, curling up closer to him instinctively. Jolee just grunted in response, looking out the door of the med bay.

"Where the blast did that lass go?" He muttered, turning around and opening up a cabinet to find the kolto packs along with the ships assortment of med-packs. He shook his head as he pulled one out. He opened a pack, pulling out a towel and submerging it in the healing liquid. After ringing it out, he turned and placed it gingerly on Samirah's forehead. She let out a small _coo_ that made the old man smirk.

"She'll make a recovery, lad." He assured Canderous before ushering him out. Canderous didn't hesitate before maneuvering himself out of the room, Samirah safely tucked in his arms.

As soon as they were gone, Jolee fell back against the wall, letting his weariness take over. He was really getting too old for these things. He wasn't as young and as vibrant as he once was. He really did it this time, didn't he? He picked a winning team. He chuckled at himself, remembering his own youth but never remember it being as strenuous as it was for Samirah and Bastila.

"Hey, old man!" He looked up, a furrow in his brow. What the blast was it now? He pushed himself up from the wall, peering his head out into the main room to see Canderous standing off to the side, Samirah still cradled in his arms. "Seems our Princess needed her beauty sleep." When Jolee followed his line of sight, there she was. Bastila was crumpled on the floor, a bowl just barely out of her reach.

He let out a tired sigh before waving Canderous away.

"I'll see to her. Just get Samirah to bed, before she wakes up and starts arguing with you." Canderous nodded with a smirk, leaving Jolee to tend to her.

He forced his body to move, his weary old joints aching with each movement. He knelt down beside her, rolling her onto her back and briefly checking her for a fever or ailment. Her eyes started to flutter open, a low groan escaping her lips as her hand came up to the side of her head. Jolee sat back against the wall, rubbing his eyes tiredly as she stirred, slowly sitting up.

"Easy does it, lass." She looked at him slowly, wincing as she felt the headache slowly creeping on her.

"By the Force..." She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "What happened? I feel as though my head is on fire..."

"I imagine so." He commented slowly. "You and that girl have a bond, don't you?" Jolee asked, though he was already sure of the answer. It wasn't hard to discern. His hunch was confirmed by the surprised look Bastila gave him. He reached out, picking up the bowl she was supposed to bring to him and dusting it off as he spoke. "Well don't act so surprised, lass. I am a Jedi. Used to be a damn good one too."

She looked away, closing her eyes again as she rubbed at her forehead. The last thing she remembered doing was searching for a bowl before everything just went dark. It felt like the world around her had simply disappeared and she was suspended in a dark void. It actually frightened her. The dark tendrils that wrapped around her, the whispers... they were brief moments that both intrigued and scared her before being whisked away. Even with all of her training, all of her mediations, and all of her years under the guidance of the Council, she had never once felt such a thing before. Was it the bond? Was it Samirah?

Then the thought struck her. She turned her full gaze on Jolee, concern contorting her features.

"Where is Samirah? How is she? Why aren't you attending to her?" She demanded, only earning a reproachful look from Jolee.

"Oh, pipe down child. Canderous is seeing to her now. He's ensuring that she rest in bed until her body can repair itself. It's only a fever now, a cold perhaps. With some rest and time, she'll be as fit as a Mandalorian." He hoisted himself up, grimacing as his joints popped. Bastila was surprised when he held his hand out to her. "I think we could all do with a little shut-eye, lass. I know I could."

She smiled, taking his hand as he pulled her up slowly. Her head was still aching but she was sure she could manage. If Jolee was certain that Samirah's condition was no longer serious, she would take him on his word. What other choice did she have? He was the only one who could help her right now.

"I suppose you are right... If she is well taken care of, then we could all use the rest. I'll speak to Carth about our next destination first and then I'll see to some shut-eye."Her hand came back up to her head, messaging her temple. Jolee just shook his head at her with a frown.

Before she could react, he placed the palm of his hand on her forehead and an immediate cooling effect coursed through her mind. She gasped quietly, slowly closing her eyes as the tension in her body slowly released itself. It was only a matter of seconds before he relinquished his hold on her, the pain now gone. She opened her eyes to see Jolee rubbing his tiredly.

"Jolee, I-"

"Ah, don't start, lass. You need just as much rest as she does so get your business done with Carth and then rest. It's been a tiring journey thus far and I am an in need of a good nights rest. You know what kind of rest you get in that forest? None! All those Tachs, squaking at all hours of the night and keeping me from resting… Not tonight. Tonight, I get a bed!"He stated with finality before walking away, the bowl still in his hands.

She watched him slowly walk away, muttering about being too old. She smiled faintly at him before walking towards the cockpit. When she walked inside, she found Mission curled up in the co-pilot's chair, Carth's jacket draped over her as she slept. Zaalbar stood over her, contemplating something while Carth fixated his attention on the expanse of space before him. Bastila quietly approached, earning the attention of Zaalbar. His features were weary and strained, the events of the day clearly weighing heavily on him.

He let out a low growl, saying nothing before gently picking up the Twi'lek girl into his arms. Carth's jacket fell on the chair as she curled up closer to Zaalbar, his fur providing the necessary heat. He nodded to Bastila, quietly leaving the cockpit with Mission. Bastila turned, watching as he disappeared around the corner before turning back to Carth. He had gotten up from his chair and was now pulling his burnt orange jacket back on. He yawned, rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure. He looked up, surprised when he saw Bastila standing awkwardly.

"Bastila. Shouldn't you be resting?" He asked in confusion.

"You should be too, Carth. You've had just as much of a hard day as the rest of us." He motioned for her to sit and she quietly moved to the co-pilot's chair as he settled back into his own.

"Well, someone has to make sure we don't run into trouble. Seems the galaxy itself is out to get us." He joked but it was only half-heartedly. He rubbed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he waited for Bastila to speak. When she didn't, he looked over at her. "Not that I'm complaining, but you usually have more things to talk about than this. What's wrong?"

She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the control desk. She shook her head slowly.

"No... not anymore. It's been... stressful, as of late." When she looked over at Carth, she smiled faintly at him. "Samirah is finally resting. Seems it's just a cold or something. It's nothing a little rest shouldn't fix." She saw as Carth's shoulders slumped, his body nearly relaxing in unison. He rested his head in his hands, a low chuckle escaping in response to his relief.

"Thats-That's good. That's... really good." He breathed, wanting to just laugh at how relieved he felt. He didn't even realize how stressed he was until now.

"She's going to be fine, Carth." Bastila reassured him, smiling a little bit more at him. He nodded his head slowly, leaning back in his chair and sighing audibly. A big smile on his face. Only a fever. A cold. Something so easy to fix and yet, he was still worried about her.

"About our destination..." Bastila started, bringing Carth's attention back to her. "I believe we should make a stop on Dantooine before continuing our journey." Carth furrowed his eyebrows, turning his chair to look at her.

"Dantooine? Of all places? Why the sudden need to return? Weren't we just there?"

"It can't hurt to make a quick stop. It'll be a safe spot to make repairs, get more supplies and we could all use an extra nights worth of sleep. I sense we are all very weary." Carth couldn't argue it.

After a moment's thought, he got up and moved to the astrogation chart. He input the coordinates for Dantooine, Bastila staying quiet and thoughtful in her seat as she waited. When he finished, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He looked at her, taking his time before finally speaking.

"Alright, we'll go to Dantooine. I'll see to it that we get there without any problems." He assured her, earning another brief smile from Bastila. "Now, do us a favor and get some sleep. You obviously need it and there's nothing more you can do until we land, ok?"

Bastila nodded, standing up and brushing off her robes. She was exhausted and knowing now that the rest of the crew was well on the way to recovery, she could rest easy. She started to leave, stopping right at the entrance for a moment. She contemplated her next words carefully, weighing the pros and cons of them before speaking.

"You should check on Samirah... should you find the time." And then she disappeared.

Carth stayed where he was for a moment, unsure how to take her words. He turned, looking out into the hallway where the rest of the ship was now resting. He was sure that he was probably the only one still awake. He went back to the pilot's chair, sitting down to check the controls. He really should rest some—he was as tired as the rest of them but he needed to ensure they made it to Dantooine without any trouble. Sure he could set it on auto-pilot, but should they run into trouble, they would be in a pinch. He felt better if he just piloted the ship himself or was at least at the helm, ready to do what he needed. Better safe than sorry.

He would stay awake. He rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He would be ok. He had done worse shifts and really, he just needed to stay awake until someone could watch the ship for him.

"_Now would be a good time to take up a hobby, Carth..." _He mumbled to himself, leaning back in his chair. It would be a long night.

* * *

"_Carth?...Carth... Carth!"_ The hissing in his ear finally stirred him. He popped up, his eyes going wide in alarm and his right hand swinging out around him, nearly smacking Mission. Luckily she had the sense to dodge, jumping back a few steps.

"What?! What's going on? Are we being ambushed!?" He shouted, louder then he meant too. When he realized there was nothing to be alarmed about, he looked over to find Mission leaning away.

"M-Mission? What are you doing in here?" He yawned, despite himself, and rubbed his eyes. He looked around the dash, noting that he drifted off for only a few minutes. Enough to make him feel much more tired and groggy. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping or something?" She rolled her eyes, plopping down into the co-pilots chair as if it was where she belonged, her legs hanging over the arm rest.

"Geez Carth, have you been like this all night? You really need some rest yourself, ya know? You can't just _not _sleep at all. Let someone else watch the ship so you can sleep." He shook his head, stretching out and secretly wishing he was already in bed.

"I can't Mission...not yet." She shook her head, crossing her arms as he started to check his instruments for any signs of trouble.

"He being stubborn again, kid?" Carth couldn't help the groan that escaped as he turned around to meet Canderous' eye by the entryway. He was leaning against the wall, a smirk in place.

"Hey, I'm not a kid! I think I've proven myself enough for you guys to consider me an adult!" Mission argued, crossing her own arms and pouting in her chair. Canderous just waved her off, walking up to Carth instead.

"You know what I meant. Hey, soldier boy, I think it's about time you got some shut eye of your own." Carth opened his mouth to protest but Canderous stopped him. "Don't you argue with me. I know how to pilot a ship just as well as you do." Carth raised an eyebrow skeptically at him.

As well as Carth could? Carth doubted anyone could pilot a ship quite like he could. He had piloted more ships than Canderous had probably ever seen. Ok... well, maybe that was an over exaggeration but the point was still there. He was the best damn pilot there ever was, Canderous couldn't replace him.

"Don't even think about arguing." Canderous interjected, pointing a finger at him. "You need some time to yourself. I won't scratch your baby." He said, rolling his eyes. Carth didn't approve but unfortunately, had to agree. If he kept this up, he'd be of no use to anyone.

He grudgingly got up and moved to the side, allowing Canderous to sit in the pilot's chair. _My chair,_ Carth thought quietly to himself. Canderous settled in, moving about until he was comfy. He looked back to Carth, grinning at him. He reached out and brushed his hand against the controls, his eyes still gleaming at Carth.

"Don't you worry about her. She's in good hands." He assured with a wink.

Carth frowned, his body tense at the idea of someone else at the helm but he had no other choice. They were right. He needed to rest. They still had a little ways before they arrived at Dantooine so a little rest wouldn't hurt him. Mission eyed him suspiciously, motioning for him to carry on and leave. He chuckled, lifting his hands up to show his defeat before slowly walking out of the cockpit. He turned at the entrance to look one last time to see Mission changing her sitting position. She swung her legs around until she was sitting upright, her hands on the console in front of her.

"Your co-pilot, Mission Vao, reporting for duty!" She grinned. Canderous chuckled, reaching out and rubbing her head. She swatted his hand away, shooting him a mean look as he began to tell her a story about one of his past battles. This one in particular dealing with him as the temporary pilot for the mission and Carth worried about the word _temporary_.

Carth smiled despite himself, walking away as he quietly maneuvered his way through the ship. He stopped briefly to note the silence that had befallen the _Ebon Hawk _as he approached the main room of the ship_._ T3 was off to the side, keeping to himself as he played with what looked like the food synthesizer. The droid stopped its work for a moment to turn and acknowledge Carth's presence. T3 hummed at him quietly, but Carth waved him off with a smile. The droid didn't question any further before resuming its work as if Carth wasn't even there. It was eerily quiet to Carth. No voices, no shouts, no games, no arguments… the silence was unsettling. Not a sound. It was all just stillness. Zaalbar was more than likely keeping to himself for the time being, recouping in his own way from the events. Jolee was off tending to Samirah and, well, Samirah was resting.

He decided it was time to pay her a visit, just to see for himself how she was doing. Instead of heading to the male quarters of the ship, he went the opposite way towards where Samirah was resting. As her reached the quarters he was met with Jolee sitting in a chair beside Samirah, his back turned to Carth. The sheets were pulled up to her chin and her cheeks were a flush of crimson red. A damp wash towel was on her forehead, possibly dipped in kolto to help bring her fever down. Her breathing had become deep and labored as her body fought off the cold. For a moment, he just stood there. He watched as Jolee removed the towel and replaced it with a fresher one, leaving his hand on her head a moment longer.

"Well, are you just going to stand there, Sunny? Or do you want to come in?" When he spoke, Carth was startled before slowly smiling at the old hermit. He was a Jedi, after all. He shouldn't have expected anything less than that.

"I just wanted to check up on her, is all. How's she doing?" He asked as the old man turned to look at Carth before looking back to Samirah.

"She'll recover. It's not the Balmorran flu or the Rojo fever, thank the force. She's just caught a little cold. That's what you get when you go rummaging through a forest, not knowing what you're doing." He snorted, slowly removing his hand from her head. "A little rest will do the girl good…" His voice trailed off into a murmur, his eyes fixated on her.

"Is there anything I can do?" When Jolee turned to look at him questioningly, he held his hands up defensively. "I know, I know, I need to get some rest. You'll probably tell me the same thing Mission and—" Jolee snorted again, interrupting Carth. He got up from his chair with a little difficulty, stretching his back when he finally stood. He walked over to Carth, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Sunny, I'm too old these days to be staying up all night with you young kids. I don't have the body I did twenty years ago. Ha ha, I don't even have the body I had yesterday." He laughed to himself as he thought about it before fixing his gaze on Carth again. "If you want to stay up on patrol for this young one, be my guest! I could use a little more shut-eye. A bed, for once, would be a nice change from that old musty forest. And real food! No more jungle soup for this old man. I'd like to think I've had enough of that." He smiled before waving it all off as some story he'd one day tell.

Carth hoped not, at least.

"Bah! My point, Sunny, is that I don't have that kind of energy anymore. A break would be welcomed. All you have to do is keep that wash towel on her forehead cool and the rest will take care of itself." He instructed, waiting for Carth's nod before patting him on the shoulder. "Good lad. Now old Jolee Bindo is going to eat real food and sleep in a real bed." As he walked out, Carth heard snippets of his mumblings, but paid them no attention.

As Carth sat down in the chair, he smiled faintly. Jolee was probably used to talking with himself when there wasn't a Wookiee brave enough to see him. No wonder he was practically a chatter box. Carth surveyed the items Jolee had left him: a bowl filled to the brim with kolto and a few packs of it off to the side in case he needed more. Looking at Samirah, he placed his hand on her cheek, feeling for himself how warm she was. Her brunette hair was matted to her forehead and splayed out against the pillow in waves. She mumbled quietly, her brow furrowing as whatever dream she was having played out.

A soft whimper escaped her lips and she shivered under the sheets. Fragile. It never ceased to amaze him how fragile she sometimes looked to him. He almost had to remind himself that she was probably one of the most capable people on the ship. He gently stroked the side of her face, her body instantly relaxing at the simple sign of affection. He gently moved pieces of stray hair away from her face, tracing inconsequential lines with his fingers. That simple act seemed enough to calm her from thrashing about in her sleep anymore than she already was.

_It's good to finally see you up… instead of thrashing about in your sleep… must have been having one hell of a nightmare..._

He smiled at the memory. The last time he saw her in this state was when they first landed on Taris after the events of the _Endar Spire_... for the several hours that he waited for her to come too, he had time to think. Who was she? What kind of person was she? Friend or foe? Ally or traitor? How had she survived? What really happened on that ship? His thoughts were all muddled at the time and the more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt.

He had thought several times over if he should kill her then or give her a chance. Take the risk or remove all suspicion? Save himself the trouble… or give her the benefit of the doubt?

In his defense, the evidence had piled up against her. The evidence was almost irrefutable. Almost. Out the entirety of the crew, out of dozens upon dozens of well trained officers… she, of all people, survived. The last minute addition. He wasn't one to believe in coincidences. Logic dictated, for the sanctity of their mission, that he kill her if she was a possible liability. It would have been the proper course of action... but that wasn't who he was. He couldn't do it.

_I've never abandoned anyone on a mission and I'm sure as hell not about to start now..._

He had meant every word.

He refused to turn into Saul. He refused to _be_ Saul.

_I'll tell you this much… I am__not__going to wait around until I'm betrayed again!_

_ Look, I am__not__going to betray you! What's it going to take to prove to you that I won't betray you! I am__not__Saul!_

_ Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?_

He buried his head into his hands. Wow. What a mess he had made. After putting out one fire, he couldn't help himself from starting another. He needed to get over himself. She wasn't Saul. She would never be like Saul. After the time he had spent with her so far, the sacrifices she was willing to make… No, it wasn't possible. Everything he knew about her told him that she could never do the things Saul did. She actually stood for something.

He lifted his head slightly, his hands still covering his nose and mouth as he looked at Samirah's sleeping face. He quietly replaced the cloth with fresh kolto, gingerly placing it back on her forehead. She flinched from the cool touch before relaxing slowly. She mumbled incomprehensibly, shifting uncomfortably in the sheets.

"I know… It's not the comfiest bed but it's the only one we've got. You'll be better soon… I promise." After a moment, she stopped squirming, settling back in with a sigh. He watched her quietly, an admiring smile in place. She was calm. Despite her fever, she almost looked at peace and Carth realized that he didn't get to see her like this very often.

"You know," He started quietly, aware that she probably couldn't hear him, "I really don't give you enough respect for the things you do. I make your life a living hell, don't I? I mean, it's not like the weight of the _entire_ galaxy is on _my _shoulders. It's on yours. Everything is dependent on what you and Bastila do and I guess… I guess that scares me. More than anything, that so much is riding on you two and I can't do a damn thing about it. The rest of this adventure is going to be pure hell. We're—We're going to run into more danger than I want to even think about. _Your _life is going to be on the line. _Your_ decisions are going to decide what happens. That scares me, a whole hell of a lot." He admitted more to himself than to her.

"It's going to get rough. And I'm scared of what the future is going to hold. If you're going to be strong enough to endure it. If you're going to be strong enough to _stop _it. If I'm going to be there to help you or if…" He trailed off, mussing his hair with his hand while the other rested on his knee. "I need to figure out if I'm going to put my faith in you and trust that you'll always do the right thing and make the right choice. I guess I just… forget sometime, you know? I guess I forget that you didn't choose this… it was forced onto you. You didn't get a choice, or a pat on the back… did you? You got an impossible mission while being filled with doubt, uncertainty and worst of all… my mistrust. Samirah… I…" He trailed off, taking a deep breath as she murmured again, incoherently. He just smiled, letting loose a strained chuckle.

So fragile. So small. But with such a big destiny ahead of her. How would he have ever guessed that by saving her life on Taris, by giving her a momentary benefit of the doubt that she would go on to save his life more times than he could count. How could he have known that the galaxy would be in her hands? He rubbed his eyes, the exhaustion getting to him. He pulled off the cloth from her head, refreshing it once more but stopped briefly before replacing it. He brushed away the pieces of hair that clung to her forehead, slowly brushing his fingers down the side of her face.

"Just get better soon, Samirah..." He whispered, placing a gently kiss on her feverish head. "We need you... More than I think you know…"

He gently placed the cloth back, causing her to shiver quietly before her head lolled to the side. He smiled, crossing his arms on the edge of the bed and gently laying his head down. He was extremely tired, the weariness nearly taking over completely.

"Just… get better…" He mumbled, his eyes slowly closing while trying to remain focused on her face. He didn't last long. After a matter of seconds, Carth fell asleep beside her.

He felt at peace the most, right before falling asleep.

* * *

Samirah slowly opened her eyes, groaning quietly as her head felt like it was a smoldering pile of coal. The light overhead made her flinch, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut again. She brought her hand up from under the covers and rubbed her eye with the palm of it. Her fingers brushed against a warm cloth, pulling it away so she could assess it through one opened eye. Was there Kolto on it? She still felt groggy, wanting to turn over and go back to sleep. However, she needed to know what was going on and where she was. The last thing she remembered was being carried away from Kashyyyk after facing Chuundar. She allowed her eyes to open fully, blinking quickly to adjust them.

The _Ebon Hawk. _

She was safe. She was home. When she tried to sit up, she finally realized that there was someone beside her. Upon further inspection, she was surprised to see Carth hunched over and asleep on the edge. His head was nestled into his arms, his breathing slow and rhythmic. She gently moved herself into a sitting position, careful to not disturb him. She smiled, slowly shaking her head.

"He's been like that for a while." Samirah's head snapped over to the entrance way. Jolee was leaning against the metal frame, shaking his head at Carth. "I give the boy one job and he can't even do it right."

Samirah smiled softly at him as he came over, pulling up his own chair from the corner. He was careful not to make too much noise, allowing the pilot to sleep a little longer. When he awoke, he would have an awful crick in his neck that Jolee didn't envy. He knew it only too well. He sat down, wincing as his right knee creaked in the process. He rubbed it with his hand, a scowl in place. He was really getting too old. When he was comfortable, he returned his gaze to Samirah with a smirk. She seemed a little tired still, her hands politely folded in her lap as she sat up straight in the bed. Her cheeks still flushed from the lingering fever.

"So," He began, "How is our little patient this morning?" He smirked as he leaned on his good knee with his elbow.

"Better." She replied, her voice a little weak. She rubbed her neck, trying to clear her throat but Jolee reached out and put a hand on her lap to get her attention.

"Don't, lass. You may feel better, but your body went through a bit of a spell there, now didn't it?" He mused, pulling back his hand. She nodded slowly, her eyes casted down.

"I'm sorry," Her voice was rough and low. It wasn't quite working the way she wanted it too but she continued despite it, "I didn't mean to be so troublesome, I just—"He waved her off, leaning back in his chair.

"Bah, don't start with that now. Child, we all have our own demons. We all have our own fights and battles we've got to face. Now don't get me wrong, lass—we don't all fight the same battles or the same demons, but we all do face them at one time or another. This won't be the last time you come face to face with one of your demons." Samirah nodded slowly; sheepishly.

She didn't meet his eyes but could feel his gaze on her. They were quiet for some time before he finally spoke again.

"I've seen your demons." She slowly met his eyes. However, instead of seeing him, she saw Chuundar. She saw Malak. She saw Revan. She saw the Sith Empire winning. The Republic falling to ruin. She saw worlds crumbling to their might. She saw this entire endeavor as fruitless and meaningless.

She saw herself failing.

She saw herself being consumed by darkness.

"…And?" She asked quietly, wanting some kind of… of verification that she wasn't going crazy. Some assurance that it was natural to feel as she did. She wanted… to be normal again. As a scout, of course she had troubles but nowhere near the same kind as she did as a Jedi. She wanted this all to just go away. She wanted her old life back.

Would he, of all people, understand?

"And it's a bunch of hoopla!" He said forcibly with another wave of his hand and a grunt. The forcefulness in which he spoke caught Samirah by surprise, her eyes going wide. "You young people worry about the most senseless things. Why, when I was your age the only thing worth worrying about was not being eaten by a Nexu! That was something to worry about! Now a days, all you kids worry that your minds are going to break and boil like a Fambaan egg misplaced in the deserts of Tatooine!" Carth shifted around from where he was laying, getting comfortable again.

Jolee paused a moment, waiting for him to settle down before letting out a sigh and continuing. This time, with a softer voice and less yelling. He did, however, keep his face stern and his eyes low. This was probably the first time Samirah had seen him look so serious.

"What I'm saying is that the dark side is a peculiar thing to mess with, Lass. Whether the council wants to believe it or not, it lives inside us all. A kernel, if you will, waiting to root itself in your heart and sprout if you give it the slightest chance to do so. It doesn't just go away because you click your heels together and chant a few impressive words." He huffed, crossing his arms. "It's why that damnable Council is so blasted infuriating! They don't teach you young kids how to handle it. To handle any of it! They don't tell you the truth of it. There has to be this sort of _balance, _you see? You just have to learn to not give in to it. Don't fight it, but don't feed it either." He explained, reaching out with his finger to point at her chest and lightly pressing it against the top of her sternum.

She felt this warmth spread and it sent a chill down her back. She closed her eyes as a small burst of the force was being channeled through her like a splash of warm water. It felt like a ripple that coursed harmlessly through her. It was calming, refreshing and… it made her feel at peace.

"Don't let it eat you alive, lass. That's the last thing you want it to do. Fight your demons. Don't just fight them, _control _them. Know that that seed can't grow unless you water it." He leaned away, his face still stern as he watched her slowly open her eyes to meet his. "And most of all lass, don't let it drive you mad. I've seen it all before, but something tells me I have nothing to worry about when it comes to you. I have this feeling that you'll be all right." He said with a smirk before furrowing his brow.

"Or maybe that's just the food on this bucket of bolts." Samirah laughed lightly, rubbing the side of her face while he placed a hand on his stomach, grimacing. "It's nice to have free food, but by the force what is that gunk that comes out of the synthesizer on this bucket, anyway? Do you never clean the darned thing?"

"I can explain that one…" She reassured, mid laugh. It took extra effort for her to simply talk, her voice oddly feeling raw as if she had spent half the night doing nothing but screaming. "It's not like I haven't tried to fix that silly thing but…" He just grunted in response.

"The food in the forest tasted better and half the time I was eating tree bark!" He retorted and Samirah rolled her eyes. He was too stubborn to eat tree bark. He would have starved himself first and she knew it.

"Then why come with me? Why join up with us if you miss your humble home?" He just shrugged, watching as Carth made another attempt to get comfortable.

Samirah was careful not to move any more than necessary so he could continue to sleep. Jolee pulled a pillow from a nearby bed, trying to carefully slide it under Carth's head with the help of Samirah who lifted his head gently.

"Who knows, lass. You got yourself a fast little ship here... maybe I missed the old adventures." He smiled, leaning further back into his chair when Carth was settled. "Heh. I'd forgotten what engines sounded like. The closest thing to that on Kashyyyk is an uller in mating season. Ugh! Frightful." Samirah grimaced.

"I could imagine wanting to escape that." She said, fighting a smile as Jolee chuckled.

"You know, you remind me of someone else I knew ages ago. Pleasant enough fellow, great destiny… all of that. Breath—like a bantha!" Samirah started turning red as she slowly raised her hand to her mouth and breathed. It wasn't her fault she's been sick… brushing her teeth hadn't been exactly at the forefront of her mind.

"An Anduvian salt tablet would clear that right up, you know." He offered and she shot him a glare, only earning another rueful smirk from him.

"Was that the point? To comment on my breath?" He just shrugged with his smile in place.

"No, but it could be. Anyway, where was I?" He furrowed his brow again, looking off to the side until he remembered. Oh, how he hated being old. "Oh, yes! Andor Vex, was his name. The Force swirled around him like a hurricane, that's how great his destiny was."

"He must have been someone great for you to say that." She mused but Jolee just shook his head with a laugh.

"Oh no, lass. Just because someone has the Force swirling about them doesn't always mean they have a great destiny, but it doesn't hurt to check it out. Had to see for myself." He said, leaning forward again and resting on his knees. "So I traveled with ol' Andor, just to pique my curiosity. Well, it turned out that poor Andor believed a _wee_ bit too much in the infallibility of that destiny. That overconfidence turned out to be his downfall."

"Is this your way of trying to tell me that I'm over confident?" She asked in shock, looking away. Jolee just snapped his fingers at her with a frown. She focused back on him, shrinking back into her pillow as he fixated his gaze on her.

"We're talking about Andor, remember?" Samirah nodded quickly as her fingers tightened around the sheets of the bed. He reminded her very much of a grandfather who was, one way or another, going to tell you his story.

Whether you wanted to hear it or not.

"Now, let's see… oh, yes. Andor's downfall." He continued, smiling at his own memories. "I was pretty young, myself, when it happened. At the time, I thought Andor's destiny couldn't be more boring. Believe it or not, lass, but I used to be a strapping young lad with a full head of hair! Coruscant was a small town with a well." He chuckled, stroking his chin and looking away.

"I was just about to abandon Andor to whatever the Force intended for him when his ship was overtaken by a Dimean warship. Now, you've probably never heard of the Dimeans, but at the time they were a nasty lot led by a nastier overlord named Kraat. Tall fellow. Big teeth." He moved his arms about to demonstrate as if Samirah was a small girl, entranced in a bedtime story. She liked it. Especially how he told the story with all his expressions. "Kraat has us hauled onto the bridge of his ship for questioning, and that's when I knew that Andor's destiny was at hand."

"Well, Andor decides that his destiny makes him invulnerable and starts making all sorts of demands. _Free me now, I'm not answering questions, _blah blah blah. _Don't you know who I am?_" His imitation made Samirah grin. She mildly wondered if he would ever tell story's of her like this. "Kraat decides he's had enough and begins crushing Andor's neck. I told the boy he should have kept his mouth shut. I think he agreed, too… or those could have just been gurgling noises. " He paused to think about it. Then again, maybe it was best he didn't tell her story. She couldn't be sure what version he would tell.

She wasn't sure she wanted to hear _any _version really.

"Well… well, anyway." He finally said with a shake of his head, returning his attention to Samirah. "Finally, Kraat has enough of Andor and tosses him aside into this giant energy intake shaft. Andor gets sucked in and starts… bouncing around, heh, screaming… heh."

Jolee had to stop again, laughing at the memory as he slapped his knee. Samirah sat, slightly horrified at his amusement and was contemplating covering her head with the sheets.

"Maybe Andor hit something sensitive on the way down or just didn't agree with the reactor core, because next thing I know, all the ship's alarms are ringing." Samirah slowly shook her head, seeing where this was going.

"You're kidding…" She gasped and Jolee nodded.

"Everyone panics and I run, barely making it to the ship in time before the explosion. Kraat dies horribly, and the Dimeans never quite recovered. Changed the political course of the entire sector for centuries to come. I'd call that quite a destiny, wouldn't you?" Samirah blinked a moment, taking in his story. She finally settled on looking at him with an expression of shock.

"Are you telling me that you foresee me destroying the sith by dying in a _reactor?_ That's why you're here? That's what you're _hoping_ for?" She asked incredulously as her voice grew louder despite it being sore, shaking her head quickly. Jolee shrugged with a smile as he leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable again.

"Well, hey, the chances may not be great, but when one has the opportunity to see something like that twice in a lifetime…" He trailed off, leaving Samirah to her own thoughts on the matter. When she didn't speak, he just chuckled. "Lass, I think you are destined for greatness. I think you have better odds then old Andor did." Her smile was small and faint but slowly found its way onto her face. Somehow, in some twisted, unbelievable way, his story made her feel better. Who knew that the old hermit in the forest would make things better again… well, at least sort of.

He did what he could.

"Thank you, Jolee." He just snorted, her voice sounding soft again.

"Ah, don't thank me lass. Don't get me wrong. If you somehow win this war like Andor won his… well, we'll just say that I wouldn't want to miss it. Would be a hell of thing to see again. A hell of a story, too." He said with a grin before slowly getting up and stretching his back out. "Now I'm going to go and rest. My throat is dry and these stories are making me cranky." He mumbled something else under his breath but Samirah couldn't quite catch it.

"Thank you for checking up on me."

"Well, someone had too. Flyboy here is sleeping on the job." He said as he started shaking Carth, despite Samirah waving her arms at him to stop. "Hey! Hey! Boy! Wake up, you ingrate!"

Carth jumped up, his arms flailing before he quickly started to scan his surroundings. His hand was at his hip, searching for a blaster that wasn't there. He grimaced when he realized he didn't have it on him and then even more so when he realized there was no immediate threat. He groaned, rubbing his eyes before looking evenly at Jolee.

"What's with the rude awakening, old man?" Jolee crossed his arms, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"Rude? I'll tell you what, I've earned the right to wake you up however I damn well please! If I decide that waking you up with Rishi eels is appropriate then you better bet I will! If the Force tells me that waking you up is—"

"—Just tell me!" Carth retorted, interrupting Jolee. Samirah cringed as back into the cot as she could. One should never raise their voice at Jolee… she was starting to learn that lesson very well.

"I'm old, damn it!" He snapped back with a fierce expression, pointing a finger at him. "I'm allowed to be enigmatic when I want to be, and don't you go telling me otherwise! It's your job to just listen to me and endure it! I've earned it, damn it!" Carth rubbed his face with both his hands in frustration.

Someone was going to have to remind him why they thought it was a good idea to bring this old man along with them. Carth was starting to get the distinct impression that the only reason this old hermit was joining them was because the Wookiees got tired of listening to his stories. He needed new naïve souls to listen to him. How long had he been lost in the woods? Twenty some odd years? It was a wonder why he was still alive.

"Is it that hard for a man to simply want sleep? I haven't had a decent night's sleep since we arrived on that forsaken planet and then to have Samirah—" He gestured to her, about to make a point when he finally noticed that she was wide awake and cowering in her sheets. "Samirah!"

He came closer, kneeling at the side of the bed to get a closer look at her. She leaned away, her face turning a bright shade of red at the sudden proximity. When her cheeks flushed, however, his brow furrowed in concern and he put a hand up to her forehead. That, however, only made her blush more. In her opinion, he wasn't really helping the situation.

"Are you ok? Do you have a fever? How do you feel? Light headed? Dizzy? Tired? Did you sleep ok? Did I wake you up? Is there anything I can get you? How is—" Jolee smacked him on the back of his head, making Carth wince.

"Sunny," He warned, "You're going to suffocate the girl. Give her some room to breathe, for force's sake. You young kids and your constant pestering…"

Carth rubbed the back of his head, looking away sheepishly. He retracted his hand and moved away to give her a little more space. She slowly let out an uneasy breath and allowed her blush to clear up.

"I know…" He murmured, slowly dragging his eyes back to her. "I was just worried, is all. You scared us for a bit there." Jolee rolled his eyes, looking at Samirah with an exasperated smile.

"What I think the lad is trying to say is that's it's good to see you awake." Samirah gave Jolee a big smile. She figured that's what Carth was trying to convey. Flyboy didn't seem to be very good with his words the majority of the time. A fact she was beginning to be accustomed too. Carth stood up, nodding his head in agreement with Jolee.

"Yes. Jolee's right. It's… good to see you awake. I, uh… well, you know… it was, uh…"Jolee just grinned, slowly turning his head to look at Carth knowingly.

"Lad, don't you think she's still a little tired? She is still sick and could use more rest, don't you think?" Jolee offered with a grin. Samirah shook her head at him in response.

"No, actually I'm—"He cut her off with a stern look, pushing her back down into her cot and pulling the sheets up to her chin. He even tucked the sheets in, securing her comfortably in the bed.

"Lass, don't argue with me. And I mean it. Rest. You need it, trust me." He said with a wink and she could only knit her brows together in response.

"Oh, right, yes… I'm sure you need some rest. Bastila wanted to make a stop on Dantooine before going any further so I guess that gives you plenty of time to rest. I guess I need to make sure Canderous and Mission haven't completely destroyed my ship yet, then." Carth said with a smile. "Rest easy, Samirah. I'll be back to check on you."

With that, Carth hurried out of the room with the hope that the cockpit was still in one piece. Jolee only frowned at the prospect of going to Dantooine. He jumps on a ship and the first thing they want to do is go back to the council. Humph. He had better things to do than play word games with those idiots. Damnable youths and their mystic ways. _Ooooh, the sun is setting. Oooooh, bad omen._ He was starting to think he should have stayed on Kashyyyk. When he looked back at Samirah, her eyes were a little droopy as she yawned. He just chuckled and shook his head at her.

"I knew what I was talking about, lass. You may think you feel better but a little more rest can't do you any harm." Samirah nodded reluctantly, despite knowing that everything he was saying was true.

"I don't like being bed bound though…" She groaned in her soft voice, making Jolee strain his ear to hear her. "I feel like I need to be up and helping." He shook his head, reaching for the light.

"No lass, you can help by making sure you are well rested. Even the greatest of Jedi need to know when to take a break. Besides, old Jolee Bindo needs his rest and he can't do it with you wide awake and making a ruckus!" She shook her head with a smile as he switched the light off and walked away, humming to himself.

She stared after him, looking down the lit hallway until all was quiet. She let out a relenting sigh before rolling over and pulling the sheets tighter. She hated this. She hated being sick and so utterly useless. Jolee's story replayed in her head and despite its humorous nature, she mildly wondered if her destiny was similar. Something the Council hyped up but would eventually end up as a dud. She hoped to the Force that there was more to it. Jolee had hope for her future. He had said there was a seed of darkness in all of us and perhaps that was all she had been experiencing.

She groaned as she pulled the sheets over her head. She was starting to feel the onset of a headache. The darkness of the room gave her eyes some reprieve but slowly the throbbing encroached. Perhaps she needed to rest some more, as Jolee said. She could, after all, sort it all out when she woke up. If she felt like sorting it out, at least.

Was there really anything to her destiny at all? Or would it end up like Andors?

* * *

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	31. Chapter 30: The Flickering Light

**Disclaimer: You get the idea.**

**Look! It's a second chapter! Read! Read my readers, read! I will take up no more of this space to talk about nonsense!**

**Read!**

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* * *

**A Flickering Light**

"_There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one candle." _

"Pazaak!" Mission chimed gleefully. Samirah rolled her eyes, dropping the cards on the bed.

"Again?!"She exclaimed with a laugh.

She had never been that great at Pazaak but it was something to pass the time. She was bed bound due to the orders of pretty much the entire ship. It had been agreed upon by the crew that she stay bed ridden until they arrived at Dantooine. The theory was that it would be ample enough time for her to rest and recover in Jolee's care. Though she was feeling much better now, they didn't want to take any more chances with her cold. Granted, they were probably right,but the sitting around and doing nothing was bound to kill her. There was a hundred and one things she could be doing: maintenance, cleaning, repair, meditation—Bastila wouldn't even let her meditate seeing as how the _mental stresses that are brought about during meditation could hinder your recovery. _You'd think she nearly died by the way everyone was reacting.

Samirah sighed as Mission reshuffled the decks to begin another game. This was how they were to spend their time until they reached Dantooine. Mission took it upon herself to be her personal entertainer since there was nothing else to really do on the ship. Mission wouldn't say it out loud but Samirah could feel how guilty Mission felt. Was she blaming herself for the events on Kashyyyk? Didn't she know that everything that was wrong with Samirah was her own fault? She frowned slightly, thinking of how the majority of her problems were coming from her own mind and spirit. Jedi lead hard lives. A life she had never anticipated on leading.

"Well, don't look so glum about it… sheesh. You'll get better at it, you just need some more practice is all! I mean, we can play a bunch more games and before ya know it, you'll be beating me." Samirah shook herself, looking at Mission on surprise.

"What?"

"Or, well, you know… that might take more than just practice. That would take a world of luck." She said with a slow smirk forming, leaning back in her chair. She waved her deck of cards in the air and Samirah smiled back.

"Is that a challenge I hear, Mission Vao?" Samirah picked up her own deck, compliments of Mission, and began to shuffle through it as they maintained eye contact. Mission leaned forward, leaning her elbow on her knee.

"If you want to make it one."

"You're on."

If nothing else, this was a sure way to keep both their minds occupied. Samirah's mind had been occupied with vision of Revan and the Star Maps and her own futility. For once, she'd like to have good things on her mind. She wanted to feel less like a Jedi and more like the scout she used to be; simply passing through space with a certain destination in mind. Spending time with Mission was as close as she was going to get to the normalcy she craved.

_I've seen your demons._

She furrowed her brow. No. She wouldn't even think of her demons or her destiny. That could wait for another time. She'd already given those thoughts more attention than they deserved. Everything she had given to be a Jedi so far was hurling her further into an abyss of misery and pain and sometimes, this feeling that felt a lot like loneliness. No. No more. She had a game of Pazaak she needed to focus on and right now, the odds weren't in her favor. She smiled as Mission played her cards with ease.

It might take more than just one game to change the odds.

* * *

Canderous sat in the hanger, twirling a wrench around his finger. He was leaning on his knee and with his free arm, propped his chin up with the palm of his hand. He had spent the last thirty minutes doing absolutely nothing besides watching that walking carpet pace up and down the corridor. Canderous remained quiet as the Wookiee scoured the cargo hold before leaving and then returning in a tizzy as he scoured it some more. Canderous wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with the big guy, but he didn't seem happy about something. T3 was attempting to follow Zaalbar but was only met with growls with the tin can was in his way.

Canderous just frowned. He really didn't need to work on the swoop bike anymore. He had had ample amounts of time to put it in tip top condition. Without any more gadgets to play with, the Mandalorian was stuck with only a few options. All of them involved a couple bottles of brandy and his favorite blaster rifle. All of them, he was sure, would be frowned upon by the crew. This left him to watch the Wookiee groan and pace endlessly.

He nearly smiled when he saw Carth walk by, giving Zaalbar a puzzled look.

"What's wrong?" He asked, stopping by the cargo hold as the Wookiee roared in frustration yet again.

"**It makes no sense to me, Carth Onasi. The food—the rations—it is as though someone has been picking through it but I know that it surely could not have been us! I know what I have eaten and what you all eat and this is not our doing!" **He complained. When Carth raised an eyebrow at him, he groaned. **"By Bacca, if any one of you are responsible for the half eaten rations—I'll—I'll—"**

He couldn't get his words out as he seethed in the cargo hold. He turned to look at Carth as T3 zoomed away, no longer wanting to be in the area. He reached out and pointed an accusatory finger at Carth, much to the pilots surprise.

"**Never. Waste. Food. The synthesizer is not an agreeable alternative and the rations are our only hope of survival. Do not leave the remnants for others to see! Do not waste!" **With that, he marched off, Carth staring after him in shock. Why was he being accused? What had he done?

"Ah, don't pay that Wook any mind. He's been touchy since we left Kashyyyk." Canderous said with a grin, finally putting the wrench down. He had no use for it after all.

Carth turned to slowly walk towards the Mandalorian, cautiously looking over his shoulder in the event Big Z came back. It was more out of puzzlement than it was out of fear though. When he finally looked completely to Canderous, he had already pulled out two glasses and a hidden bottle of what looked like ale. He set them on his work table by the bike, pushing all his tools to the side and kicking out a chair for Carth. At first, Carth was hesitant, giving Canderous a funny look.

"What?" He asked crassly, narrowing his eyes at Carth. "You just going to stand there staring or are you going to sit your ass down and drink with me?"

After a moment's thought, Carth sat down and took a glass as Canderous poured the ale.

"What's the occasion?" He asked, only earning a shrug from Canderous.

"There is none. My entertainment walked away. You know, that's the problem with you Republics. Always have to have an occasion to drink. Ok, for your sake we'll say we're drinking to your health or to the ship or to the bucket of bolts that doesn't shut up." He said sarcastically with a grin before downing his glass and slamming it on the table. "Just relax kid and enjoy the ale. We need to loosen you up, soldier boy. You're too stiff." Carth raised his eyebrows as he took a swig of the ale. When he put the glass down he gave it a funny look as he tried to place it. It had an earthy flavor to it and composed of several different kinds of spices. It tasted stronger than he had expected when he observed its pale color.

"I picked it up from Kashyyyk. Not sure what it is but those Czerka idiots had a few bottles laying around. I don't think they'll be needing it anytime soon. I'm sure they have more pressing matters to attend too." He grinned, refilling his glass to the brim. Carth watched as he downed the glass with a refreshing sigh before repeating the process.

"When did you even find time to grab them? We were rushing to get off world, are you the reason—"Canderous waved him off with a big grin.

"A man has to have his priorities, Carth. You of all people should know that." Carth leaned back in his chair, swirling the pale burgundy colored ale around in his glass. He held it up to his nose briefly before sipping it again. "So, what brings you to my side of the ship?"

Carth took another sip, letting the taste grow on him before shrugging. He draped his arm over the chair and took a big gulp from the glass this time before setting it back down on the table. Canderous immediately refilled it despite Carth shaking his head in protest. Canderous didn't pay him any mind as refilled his own and drank it in one big gulp.

"Just here to give everyone a heads up that we should be on Dantooine soon—maybe in an hour? Other than that, not much else." Carth held up the glass to his eyes with a frown before taking another mouthful. What the hell, after everything that's happened, he deserved a moment of R&R. Canderous leaned back in his chair, mirroring Carth as he grimaced.

"Don't tell me we're staying for another good while to help the locals."Carth shook his head. He took one more sip and put the glass off to the side.

"No, not that long. Just long enough to refuel, restock and to make sure we don't need any minor repairs done to the _Hawk. _We didn't exactly get that chance on Kashyyyk so Dantooine seemed like a good idea."

"The Princess made that call, didn't she?" Canderous said smugly. Carth crossed his arms and let out a small huff.

"Something about talking with the Council before we set off again. Don't get me wrong, we need to refuel and all that other stuff but I don't think we have time to spend days waiting for the council to deliberate on whatever issues there are. There are times to talk and times to take action. This is not a time to talk." Canderous chuckled finishing off his glass and beginning to pour another. Only this time, the bottle was empty to his dismay. He set both the bottle and the glass off to the side, settling into his chair comfortably.

"For once, you and I agree soldier boy. " Carth was about to comment on the surprising nature of their agreement. Instead, he turned around in his chair as voices came from down the hall and they were by no means in hushed tones.

"Lass, I have nothing to say to those stubborn old coots!" Jolee huffed, marching down the corridor with Bastila quick on his heels.

"Jolee, I feel as though you must at least meet with them! You obviously know things that could prove to be pivotal in this war! Talk with them, maybe we can re-establish you as a member of the order!" She begged and his response was to snort loudly. He stopped in the doorway to the cargo hold, turning around to meet her eyes.

"And what makes you think I want anything to do with those old coots? Hm? Did you ever think I stayed lost in a forest for so long for a reason? Did that ever cross your little brain? Listen lass, I'm old and senile and stuck in my ways so don't you go trying to change that. I have my reasons and no, I don't want to go blubbering about my life to you so that you'll understand."

"But Jolee—"He shook his head, crossing his arms. She balled her fists up, pursing her lips as she contemplated how to retort but thought better of it.

"I'm staying on this ship and that's final! I don't have time to be chasing after those old fools! I left for a reason!" Bastila shook her head and raised her hands in defeat. She turned quickly on her heels, marching away from the old hermit. Jolee shook his head before walking into the cargo hold.

Carth and Canderous stared at the hallway for a few moments longer before looking back at each other. Canderous was chuckling to himself while Carth simply rubbed his head. Someone was always fighting about something on this ship. Always someone with some bone to pick.

"We need new hobbies." Carth mumbled.

"Not a half bad idea." Canderous mused, reaching across the table to take the glass Carth left unfinished. He downed the rest of it before returning it to original spot beside Carth. Carth shook his head slowly, folding his arms on the table. "I've got mine."

"Who the blast has been eating all my munchies!" Jolee yelled suddenly. Carth and Canderous both looked to see Jolee marching out of the cargo hold, mumbling about the selfish nature of the youth today.

"Yeah… we're all going to need some kind of hobby…soon."

* * *

Samirah was seated on a bench, her legs crossed as the rays of sunlight caressed her face. She closed her eyes, smiling faintly as she absorbed as much of it as she could. It was warm. The weather was beautiful—a complete contrast of the weather on Kashyyyk which was damp, cold and void of any light. She had almost forgotten the feel of the sun. In the robes of the Jedi, she felt even warmer but it was a bearable warmth. She wore the lightest and thinnest pair of robes she could find. They were a creamy color with a brown belt around her stomach and brown boots to match. Bastila had gone to speak with the council, Zaalbar to restock the provisions, Canderous and Carth to find parts and fuel and of course, Mission, went to play Pazaak with new fodder.

Samirah smiled at the thought of Mission looking for more unsuspecting farmers to play her. Ever since Taris, Mission didn't seem the same. It's taken some time for her to seem less like she was faking her happiness to actually being happy. The scars on her spirit still remained. Samirah was sure of it, but Mission was slowly coping and adjusting.

"**Beep booooop…"** Samirah opened one eye to see T3-M4 rolling up beside her. It's mechanical head hanging low.

"Hey, what's wrong? Bastila leave you behind?" She asked softly. The droid looked up, chiming and humming in response.

"It's ok, you can hang out with me then. Want to go for a walk?" The droid whistled happily, spinning around quickly as she chuckled. She unfolded her legs and slid off the bench, petting T3's head affectionately. "Alright, let's go."

They walked around the inner sanctum of the Enclave, bowing and nodding to passing Jedi in training. They moved to the outer courtyard, passing by several farmers and inhabitants of Tatooine. Ever since their last visit, things seemed to be less frenzied and more peaceful. Even the Force seemed to be overflowing with life and harmony.

"Padawan Samirah! Padawan Samirah!" Samirah turned to see two familiar faces chasing after her… or really, only one chasing her and the other attempting to catch up.

"Seyda!" She cried in surprise.

The small girl threw her arms around Samirah, nuzzling her face into the fabric of her robe. Samirah placed her own arms around Seyda as the other Padawan reached them. She smiled, instantly recognizing him as Titus. Seyda looked up, her emerald green eyes meeting Samirah before hugging her tighter. She had golden hair that was pulled up into a bun except for the small strand of hair wrapped in beads and tucked behind her ear. Titus crossed his arms, shaking his head at the small girl.

"Seyda, you mustn't run off like that. Seems to me that you need a little more training in discipline…" When he finally looked up to see Samirah, he smiled softly as he bowed. "Padawan Samirah. It's good to see that you've returned to us."

Samirah noted how different he seemed now and the demeanor in which he now presented himself in. He had grown since the last time they had met. More sure of himself. More strength in the things he said. It was a pleasant surprise to see the change in him.

"It's always a pleasure to see you both!" T3 buzzed beside her, whirling around in a circle and earning the full attention of little Seyda.

She pulled herself free of Samirah, looking completely at T3 as she circled him in wonder. When she reached out to touch him, he zoomed behind Samirah and sputtered at her suspiciously. She jumped at his sudden reaction, blinking in surprise.

"T3, be nice!" Samirah chastised causing the droid to drop his head low and beep quietly. "No, no, she wouldn't feel betrayed. Bastila would want you to make friends but never the less, you shouldn't act that way to someone who's trying to be nice. Tell Seyda you're sorry." T3 slowly moved out from behind her, cooing softly as he rolled closer to Seyda. "T3…." Samirah pushed as she crossed her arms and he beeped and chimed at Seyda. She knelt down, gently patting his head as her green eyes softened.

"It's okay, Mr. T3, my name is Seyda Minzove. It's very nice to meet you." He chimed happily, scooting back and forth in what Samirah could only assume was shyness—something she didn't think she'd ever see from T3.

"Why don't you two hang out for a little bit. I'm sure we have some time before we must depart again." Seyda smiled brightly before nodding her head and leading T3 over to a small group of neophytes, all about the same age as Seyda.

T3 produced small little lights and holo's for them as they started some small game with him. Titus walked up next to her, watching them all for a moment before looking over at Samirah. His hair was as dark as the night and in contrast with his bright blue eyes that shimmered in the light. He was taller than Samirah, as most people were, but younger and well built physically. Last they met, he was so unsure of himself and stumbled a lot over his words. He never made eye contact or even stood with his head held high. He was a far cry from the Jedi he wanted to be, a frustration he used to express a lot to her when she was still studying on Dantooine.

"It's been peaceful since you were last here…" He began, putting his hands behind his back. "You cleared up so much of the darkness here and quelled all manners of disputes. However, many feel your absence here. Not just Jedi, but the people of Dantooine too. Thought they can't feel you through the force as we can, they remember your kindness and the kindness of those you travel with. We all know you have a destiny and that it will take you far from here but know that the people here think of you often. We didn't know it until you left… but you brought a light."

She rubbed her arm, refusing to make eye contact with him. As he spoke, she felt this ping of guilt in her gut. A light? All she brought was flicker. They did the rest. Ever since leaving, she went into a tailspin. She fell and she sank and she drowned in the darkness. It swallowed her whole. The thought of being in that place, of seeing Revan and Malak do their bidding and unleashing their power on the galaxy—it scared her. Even here, she could still feel the traces of them in the Force. The bread crumbs.

She wasn't strong.

"You're so strong now…" She whispered, looking at him as he looked at the children. He smiled softly, looking as Seyda danced about with the other.

"Look how little they are. They don't know the horrors they will one day see. They don't know the burden of being a Jedi as you or the Masters do. I know the stories; I've seen the battle scars but have yet to get my own. I've grown a bit since you last saw me." He said, looking over at her and searching her eyes. "However, I'm still the shaken and scared boy who came to you on your ship. The only thing that has made me strong since then is that I have found something—_someone—_I want to protect."

He nodded in Seyda's direction as a Twi'lek girl hugged her from behind. They giggled. It would be one of the few times they would be allowed to be children. Whenever a Master would walk by, they would immediately stop their play and act as a Jedi should. These will be the moments they cherish most because they will be as all children should be—carefree.

"I don't know when or how it started but she and I have grown close. She's become the little sister I never had. She's the first person who I've grown fond of since joining the order and leaving my family all behind. I know what she must feel when not in the presence of others."

Samirah couldn't pretend that she understood. She knew of loneliness. She had been alone as a scout, searching the galaxy for anything and everything that could prove usual to the Republic. Sometimes, they were odd jobs and deliveries for neutral parties but never the less, she did them alone. Her only company being her droid and whatever passengers she decided to take on. However, that was a different loneliness then what she was sure the Jedi felt when they first became initiates. She couldn't imagine being Seyda's age and having to learn to be emotionless and resolute.

"I feel as though the Force brought her here for a reason, though." Titus said after a moments pause, watching the small girl inspect T3 holo-projector. "I can feel it. I believe that I am not here to teach her, but that she is here to teach me. If I am to protect anything, _anyone,_ then I myself must be strong and have no fear. If I want to protect this little girl, then I must learn to be brave and strong. For her."

Samirah stood in silence, allowing the breeze to brush past her. He was being modest when he said he had not grown much. She placed a hand on his shoulder, surprising him with the simple gesture.

"You will make a fine Jedi, Titus. A fine Jedi." He smiled happily, bowing his head lightly at her.

"That means a great deal to me." Before he could say more, Samirah noticed a familiar face emerging from the Enclave.

Carth walked out into the opening, looking around until he found Samirah. His usual burnt orange jacket was surprisingly missing and left him with only a dirtied white shirt. His face was covered in smudges and his hair as ruffled mess. She assumed he had been spending his time making minor repairs on the ship. He approached her, nodding to Titus so as to not be rude before giving her his full attention.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked promptly, surveying her from head to toe. Titus looked at her with a puzzled expression before doing the same as Carth. She felt a little self conscious with both of them looking at her expectantly.

"You were sick, Padawan Samirah?" He inquired. She shook her head, smiling at Titus in reassurance as she held her hands up at them.

"Only briefly but I really am feeling better." She turned her gaze to Carth, giving him the same look. "I've rested enough and the sun was a welcoming treat. Thank you. I honestly am fine now."

He nodded, taking a moment to look at his surroundings. He paused when he looked at Titus, remember him as the stumbling boy he had met once before. When he looked back at Samirah, he could tell that she really was feeling better. Her smile wasn't strained, her posture was relaxed and even her voice sounded better. It didn't sound like it was hurting her to speak at all. He smiled, feeling reassured that she had made a full recovery.

"That's… that's really good to hear. In about an hour or two then, we should be ready to leave. A few more things from Zaalbar and all we'll need is to hear back from Bastila. Does that sound all right?" He asked, wanting to hear her opinion.

"Oh, yes, we shouldn't be delayed anymore then we have too." Carth nodded in agreement.

"That reminds me," Titus began, stroking his chin for a moment. "Someone came looking for you, Samirah."

"For me?" She asked in shock. She couldn't think of anyone that would be looking for her out here, least of all someone who would stop at a Jedi Enclave. Most of the people she knew stayed clear of the Jedi or any faction really.

Titus nodded, trying to recall the name.

"I believe he said his name was Kelko Sett. He was in a remarkable ship and was asking around for you. When no one provided him with any information, due to the orders of the Council, he left within the next day."Samirah's heart sank.

Kelko.

"Ah, I see…" She had forgotten that she had contacted him. She had once hoped that he would come and find her, taking her away from the political affairs of Bastila and the Jedi but to no avail. She was stranded here to become a Jedi despite her wishes. Kelko had her ship and was maintaining it when she boarded the _Endar Spire _for a simple mission_._

Little did she know…

She let out a sigh, making a mental note to contact him when she got a free moment on the _Ebon Hawk. _She had meant to respond to his last message but everything with the Council and the maps… well, it was pushed to the back of her mind. She forgot. She smiled at Titus, about to speak when Seyda came hurrying back with T3 whistling behind her. She grabbed on to his robe, jerking it down to get his attention and forcing him to kneel beside her.

"Now, now, what is it Seyda?" He asked, chuckling to himself. She shook her head at him, not enjoying his laughing manor.

"Titus, the others say it is time to meet Master Zhar. Is it true?" Though she asked, her eyes were pleading with him that she be able to play a little bit longer. Titus chuckled again, looking at the courtyard before turning back to look at her thoughtfully.

"Seyda, I'm afraid we must. It is indeed time and Master Zhar will be waiting." She pouted, looking to Samirah for support.

"But… Padawan Samirah, I wish to play more with T3 if that's all right. Training can wait, can't it? Just a little bit longer? Master Zhar won't mind, will he?"

Samirah only knelt down beside her, holding the girls shoulder so that she would look at Samirah despite being on the verge of tears. Samirah wiped the girl's eyes.

"I'm sorry Seyda, but I believe I have to leave soon. I promise, we'll come visit again soon. The next time we come, you and T3 can play all you want. I'll even talk to Master Zhar about it and see if he can't let you play longer. How does that sound?" After a moments' thought, she nodded her head.

"Alright. If you promise." Samirah smiled, nodding her head. T3 spun around beside her, chiming and whistling with enthusiasm.

"I promise. Now run along and give Master Zhar my best for me."

Titus held his hand out to Seyda, nodding at Samirah. Seyda reluctantly took his hand but kept her eyes on Samirah as they walked away. Titus stopped briefly, turning to look back at Samirah and bowing respectfully .

"Until we meet again, Padawan Samirah. May the Force be with you." Samirah couldn't do more than wave as he walked away. She could feel his strength and his resolve from where she stood. He would be a Jedi Knight that she would look up to with respect and envy. He had the makings of a Jedi who would do great things.

_The Force swirled around him like a hurricane, that's how great his destiny was._

She smiled as Jolee's voice flittered across her mind. Already she was beginning to think she had spent too much time around the old man. Somehow, she was beginning to think that it wasn't so bad. He was a few starships short of a fleet, but he did have a thing or two worth noting.

"May the Force be with you." She whispered back at Titus, though she was sure he couldn't hear her. A light breeze brushed past her, hopefully carrying her words to him so that he would somehow have them with him. She hoped that he would only continue to grow stronger.

"Samirah?" Carth wondered as she slowly pulled her gaze back to him with a smile.

"Yes. We should get going." With that, she followed him out of the courtyard and back towards the ship. T3 quickly chimed, following closely behind them.

Canderous was waiting on the loading ramp, sitting as he balanced a blaster rifle on his knee and was polishing it. He gave a smile and a nod at Samirah when they were in sight before standing and hoisting the gun over his shoulder. As they stepped up the ramp, she stopped briefly to look over her shoulder at the Enclave. The sun was slowly starting the set, casting a orange-red glow over the Enclave. A few Padawans lingered around before slowly moving away and finishing out the remainder of their day. The Enclave was peaceful. The wind was warm, the sky was clear and the tranquility of the place left its own impression on the Force.

She had needed this stop more than she knew. It reminded her of so much. Of what she believed in, in what she fought for and why she was now a Jedi. Even if this wasn't the path she wanted, it was the path she needed and the one chosen for her. If nothing else, it was hers now.

"May the Force be with you all…" She whispered against the wind before slowly boarding the ship.

* * *

It had been three hours. Three hours that they had been waiting on Bastila. Mission and Zaalbar had boarded the ship an hour after everyone else—everyone except for Bastila. Carth was sitting at a table, reading through some info that came to him through his holopad; updates on the war effort and the political power struggles that persisted even now. He had cleaned up since then, wearing his jacket again which oddly put Samirah at ease. She liked that jacket. Samirah had resumed her usual work on the food synthesizer per the request of Jolee and Zaalbar. Jolee never even left the ship. As he expressed multiple times, he wanted nothing to do with the council. He figured the less they knew about his situation, the better. Zaalbar, on the other hand, made sure that he procured all the necessary parts to fix the food synthesizer and laid them out in the open.

Samirah took the hint.

She had been working on it since she got back to the ship and was beginning to think she was at a break through. She was near completing her work when she heard a pair of footsteps coming from the loading ramp. She paused, looking briefly at Carth who had set down his holopad. They both shared a look before Carth got out of his chair and Samirah got up from the floor. She patted down her robes, peering around the corner curiously.

Who would board the ship? The council wouldn't come see her… would they? No, they always summoned you. They didn't make house calls.

She didn't have to wait long until Bastila rounded the corner, looking away sheepishly as she stood awkwardly in the hall. She seemed embarrassed as she fidgeted in place, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. Samirah was about to ask her what was wrong when another face appeared from around the corner. Samirah's eyes went wide with shock before slowly raising her hands to her mouth.

How had she been such an _idiot!?_

"It is…. Good to see you, Padawan Samirah…" The thick accent of the Cathar nearly made Samirah's stomach roll. The Cathar stepped around Bastila, standing in the middle of the room so as to be better seen by the crew. She kept her eyes casted to the side, refusing to look at any one person.

"Ju-Juhani…. Oh no…" She muttered, covering her face in her hands but peaking through her fingers.

Carth noted that behind the Cathar was Canderous, his blaster rifle hoisted over his shoulder. He gave Carth a suspicious look before nodding in the direction of the Cathar. Carth just shrugged and that made Canderous focus intently on the woman, pulling his rifle from his shoulder and holding it close. Just in case. This made Carth smile despite the present situation. Actually, he didn't know what was going on so he just leaned against the table to see it play out. Samirah looked horrified, Bastila was for once, speechless, and Juhani stood with her shoulders squared. Something about this little meeting made the air tense and thick with awkward feelings.

Canderous kept his eyes on her, occasionally looking to Carth for any insight but Carth was as lost as he was. It was nice to know that there was someone who was ready to take action if the situation called for it at least. It wasn't the first time he was out of the loop and it wouldn't be the last. He would just sit on the sidelines for now.

Juhani held her head high, her face void of any expression but it was evident that even she was still holding some resentment to their little mistake. The more Samirah looked at her, the more guilt she felt in her gut. The more they stood there, the more she felt awful for leaving Juhani behind. It wasn't exactly their fault they left without her… ok, maybe it kind of was but still, the council told them that time was of the essence. They didn't really take the time to think or even breathe—they had to leave.

Samirah groaned as she squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face into her hands again.

"It is… It is nothing to worry about." She said quietly, averting her eyes and allowing them to roam over the ship. "I held no grudge. The Council, they said it was important that I accompany you and Bastila. It was fortunate that you returned… even if it was not for me."

"Juhani, I'm-

"No, there is no need for you to say more. All is well now. I will go put my things away and settle in. I will… I will find myself a spot." With that, she said nothing more and walked away.

No one moved. The ship grew quiet, the only sound echoing against the walls being the sound of Juhani walking away. Bastila stood where she was, fidgeting in her spot and avoiding any eye contact at all. As soon as Juhani was out of ear shot, Samirah quickly moved as close to Bastila as she could, still reveling at their present situation.

"_How did that happen? Where were you? What did the council say? How did we forget her?!"_ Samirah questioned quickly, forcing Bastila to press her hand over her mouth. Samirah tried to talk anyway, her words coming out as muffled sounds.

"Oh, just calm down, will you Samirah? Honestly." She stated firmly, narrowing her eyes at Samirah. "The Council expressed their _displeasure _in our departure without Juhani and insisted that we tread with caution from here on out. It was expressed several times that it was vital that Juhani join us. There's nothing more we can do about it now. She's here now so let's just get on our way. We can sort it out as we go."

She finally removed her hand and walked away, leaving a wide-eyed Samirah where she was. When the potential danger was over, Canderous sighed and walked away when he was sure he wasn't needed anymore. For several moments, Samirah didn't move. How could she have forgotten? The Council explicitly said that Juhani was to accompany them for several reasons… How could she have been so stupid? Even Carth never left someone behind and he had trust issues…

"Samirah…?" Carth started, stepping closer as she covered her mouth in her own horror. When he touched her shoulder, she smacked his hand away, shaking her head.

"Not now Carth… Just… not now…" She then turned and walked away, leaving Carth behind to wonder quietly what was going on.

No, he wasn't going to just sit by himself and wonder what was going on. She had another thing coming if she thought he was just going to sit around, doing nothing.

He was going to find out. He followed after Samirah, making his way to the cargo hold where she sat herself down in a corner. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her head buried in her hands. Her back was against one wall of the corner while her shoulder pressed against the other, leaning her body against it. She looked like a child who had been put in the corner for being disobedient. He leaned against the doorframe, stuffing his hands in his pocket as he watched her for a moment, neither one of them saying a word.

She wasn't crying. She was berating herself. Kicking herself while she was down. There was a rule about that somewhere, wasn't there? Never leave a man behind? Hadn't Carth told her once that he had never left a man behind? Yeah. She couldn't say the same thing. She was sure this wasn't as bad as leaving a man on the battlefield but hell… she left Juhani behind when she was supposed to accompany them on their mission. How could she do that? How did that make Juhani feel? She was a Dark Jedi, albeit a pretty poor example of one but never the less she had gone to the dark side only to be brought back and left behind by the very person who had saved her.

What kind of message was Samirah sending her?

"Samirah?"

What did Juhani think of her now?

"Samirah." She slowly lifted her head, looking over at him. She looked gloomy and upset but luckily, nowhere near close to tears. That was good.

He sighed, pushing himself off the doorframe and walked over to her little corner. He slowly sat down next to her on the floor, aware of her suspicious gaze on him. He was seated against the back wall, while she was seated with her back against the side wall and her toes beside Carth. She leaned the side of her body against the back wall, watching Carth carefully, his gaze looking straight ahead. He rested his elbows on his knees, letting his hands hang freely and his head to rest against the hull of the ship.

"I left her Carth. We were supposed to take her with us and we forgot so we left and now she's mad and maybe she'll turn back to the dark side and what if she turns back to the dark side? It'll be all my fault! She'll be a Dark Jedi and it'll be all my fault and I'll have to live with knowing that I, Samirah Noval Alda, saved a Dark Jedi only to turn her back into a Dark Jedi because apparently it was my destiny to kill her! What fate is worse than that? To fall to the dark side only to be brought back so that you could fall again and die at the hands of the person responsible—it's a form of torture! I'll have to kill her, Carth! Oh my… I'll have to kill her… I can't believe we left her and I can't believe that she's… it's my… oh no…" She buried her head back into her arms. "I can't believe I did that… I can't believe I was silly enough to…"

Carth just sat there quietly, letting her ramble and mumble about something he didn't even know was a problem. She was talking so fast that he couldn't keep up and her words just sort of started to mesh together into gibberish. He remembered that Cathar from their first visit to Dantooine. She was the reason Carth had to go back out into the storm to find her. He smiled at the memory. That was when he first discovered her fear of thunderstorms. He wondered what it was about them that she disliked so much. For someone so brave, she had an odd fear.

"Samirah," He finally interrupted, making her look up from her pity party. "It's going to be ok, you know that, right?" She shook her head and he gave her a crooked smile. "You did, after all, save her life. How many people would have given her a second chance when they realized she wasn't on our side anymore?"

"Lots." She stated sourly, a big frown making its way onto her face. "It's the Jedi way. That's beside the point though, Carth. I forgot her. She probably watched as we flew away into the sunset thinking we were laughing at her! By the Force, what if she—"This time, Carth placed his hand over her mouth, giving her a reproachful look.

"You're looking at it a little too harshly. You and Bastila had a lot on your minds at the time and I'm sure she understands that. Isn't understanding things part of the Jedi, too?" He removed his hand and she just groaned, smacking her head against the hull of the ship.

"She probably _hates_ me now…" Carth just rolled his eyes, chucking at how incredulous the idea sounded.

"Come on, no one can _hate_ you." Samirah slowly lifted her head off the cold metal of the ship, keeping her eyes low and away from Carth's face. She hugged her legs tighter, completely aware of his watching eyes.

"…even you?"

The room somehow managed to grow quiet as Carth froze in place. He knew what she was talking about. Even the events of Kashyyyk couldn't make her forget about what he'd said to her.

_I'll tell you this much… I am__not__going to wait around until I'm betrayed again!_

_ Look, I am__not__going to betray you! What's it going to take to prove to you that I won't betray you! I am__not__Saul!_

_Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?_

His face softened as he looked at her, squeezing his hands into tight fists. Once Kashyyyk was behind them, there was more time for them to think and he would have to be very naïve to think she'd forget. He wanted to laugh at the very idea of it. He knew better.

"I, ahhh… I'm not very good at this. I… I know I owe you an apology. Uh, more than one, probably." He started, looking away as he began to rub his hands together. "I… I was just so desperate to finally face Saul directly in the battle over Taris, and now the Jedi have us looking for these… these Star Maps. I know this mission is important, it's just… I feel a bit useless. I can fight, sure, but I'm no Jedi… all this feels completely out of my league." He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words floating out in the open. It was one thing to know it: it was a completely other thing to have it said out loud.

He hated, more than anything in the world, to feel powerless and useless when so much was at risk.

"Why don't you return to the front lines, then?" He turned to look at her, hoping that his frustration wasn't coming out in his words again. He didn't want to sound ungrateful or like he didn't want to be here but…

"Because this is more important." He finally said. "This may really, finally, make a difference… I suppose even if I can't figure out everything that's going on, I still want to help if I can. I just hate not knowing what's going on and feeling this… helpless. But I shouldn't have taken that out on you. I've been a royal pain in the backside, haven't I?" Samirah started to laugh, much to Carth's surprise.

She couldn't help it. She just started laughing. Hard. Mostly because she never expected to hear Carth Onasi to _ever_ say he was a royal pain. They had had more than their own fair share of fights over this particular subject and yet, here he was, admitting to it. Carth smiled as she covered her mouth in an attempt to stop her laugh but a few muffled giggles escaped. He realized that it had been way too long since he last heard her laugh. To hear her _really_ laugh.

"Don't worry about it, Carth. It's ok." She finally said as the laughs subsided, smiling softly at him.

"No, I do worry about it." He said, looking at her seriously. She needed to know that he had been thinking about their last conversation… a lot. "I've traveled the lanes more than once, I should know better than this. So… I'm sorry. Will you accept my apology?" She opened her mouth to say yes but promptly shut it, much to his dismay.

She gave him a rueful smile instead, squeezing her legs tighter and pulling them in closer.

"I don't know. Maybe you should work for it, a bit." She said, grinning at him. He shook his head, chuckling at her remark. He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy. He raised an eyebrow at her, giving her a crooked grin.

"Oh? I don't know if I like the sound of that…" She batted her eyes at him, looking as innocently as she could at him. She even went as far as making herself look slightly hurt at his insinuation and at that moment, he knew that if she asked it, he probably would have given her anything she wanted.

"Don't you want me to accept your apology?" He chuckled, rubbing his face with his hands. He gave her a sideways glance, dropping his hands back down against his knees.

"I don't know. What am I going to have to do for it?" She intertwined her fingers together at her knees, leaning as far back as her arms length would let her with a big grin on her face.

"Blow away the bad guys, of course. Save the damsel in distress. The usual thing." He laughed, leaning his head against the hull of the ship again but turning his head so he could still see her.

"Oh, the usual. Well that's not so hard, is it? I'd like to think that's what I've been doing this whole time, so it sounds like I just need to keep it up then, don't I?" Samirah stuck her tongue out at him as he chuckled at her scrunched up face.

She kicked him lightly with her foot and he only chuckled more in response. For a few moments, they just laughed at each other, making sly remarks here and there but all in good fun. They hadn't relaxed like this or enjoyed each other's company in a while and they wanted it to last as much as they could. When the jokes finally subsided and they sat in silence, Samirah nudged him with her foot. He turned his head, keeping it pressed against the wall. His smile still lingering as he looked her. Her brunette hair was sloppily pulled up into a ponytail, several pieces lingering about her face. He resisted the urge to push them away.

"So then… May I ask you a question?" He gave her an inquisitive smirk but nodded, noting how she shifted in place, averting her eyes. "Why do you want revenge on Saul so badly?"

For a moment, he stared at her, all amusement erased from his face. He looked away for the hundredth time, taking a deep breath.

"I already told you. He betrayed us all." He stated with finality, trying to be careful that the poison the memories produced didn't leak out into his voice. He didn't want to lash back out at her. He just got finished reconciling with her and he didn't want to have to start all over again.

He wanted things between him and her to be okay. He didn't want to hurt her anymore.

"It just seems to be more… personal than that, is all. He's the reason you don't want to trust people and I don't mean to pry but… I'd like to know, that is… if you could tell me." He ran his hands through his hair.

"Well, there… there is more to it. I'm… I'm sure you don't want to hear about it though..." Part of him wanted to tell her but what would she think? Did he want to tell her? Did he want to open up like that?

"Well, you know, I did ask." She said, earning his gaze. When he looked at her, she was looking at him thoughtfully through her eyelashes, trying to see his face clearly. "I do, after all, go asking Canderous about his war stories for fun. So… yes, I do, if that's alright with you."

"Oh, I don't think it'll be as interesting as him gunning down a platoon of soldiers or anything." He said with a faint smile that slowly faltered.

"It's just that I… don't talk about it very much…." He went quiet, allowing himself a moment to breath before speaking.

He was going to tell her. If he was going to tell anyone about his history… he felt it would have to be her. If anything else, it might bridge the seemingly large gap between them. A gap he felt was there now more than ever. He felt distant. He felt so far away from her that he couldn't reach her, as if the further they got into their mission, the further away she would be from him. His chest tightened at the thought.

"I told you about my homeworld. Telos. Four years ago, Saul led the Sith fleet there and demanded its surrender. The planet refused and Saul proceeded to devastate its entire surface. Millions died. I had… a wife and son on Telos. I thought they would be safe there. But my task force arrived too late to be of much help. We didn't have enough medical supplies. The colony was burning and the dying were everywhere. I remember holding my wife and screaming for the medics. They… they didn't come in time." He almost choked on the last sentence, breathing steadily so as to keep himself from falling too far into his memories. Their faces still haunted him when he slept sometimes.

"Carth…I didn't… I didn't know…" He laughed bitterly, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Of course not. How could you?" He shrugged his shoulders in response before letting them slump, the feelings of loss and despair over taking him. "I… had nothing left after that, really. I devoted myself to the fleet. Hunting Saul was my only purpose. I… I miss them. It like having this light in your life be put out and so you keep searching for a way to relight it—to keep the candle of your life lit. The light in my life was…" He stopped, letting the unfinished words to die on his tongue.

"I know killing Saul won't bring them back," He stated fiercely, pounding his fists on his knees in frustration, "…and it won't make me happy again… but damn it, I have to do it. I don't expect you to understand. I don't expect anyone too. I don't even expect people to accept what I _know_ I have to do. I _have_ to pay him back for what he's done… I have to. It's all I have left. I can't… I can't just sit and let him… go on like he is. He has to be stopped and I have to do it. Only I can." He said, letting the words echo in his ears.

He was breathing hard. He made that promise to himself four years ago. He made that promise to his dying wife who died… in his arms. His _useless _arms. Always so _useless _and _helpless._

No more. He wouldn't be that way anymore.

"What… What was she like?" He looked at Samirah, startled at her sudden inquiry.

"What?"

"Your wife." She said, fidgeting in place. "What was… she like?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if it was some secret they were sharing. He smiled, looking up at the ceiling of the ship and closing his eyes as he pictured her in his mind.

"She was… She had courage… and she was stubborn. Heh.. . as stubborn as all hell. She was a little bit like you in that respect." He peaked at her from the corner of his eye, watching as Samirah tried to picture his wife too. Her eyes were closed, focusing intensely on her own conjuration of his wife. "I could never talk her out of anything once she put her mind to it. She might have been worse about it then you were. And was she ever the force to be reckoned with when you got her angry. The woman was strong. If you two had ever met…" He said, chuckling at his own image of the two, arguing over something silly as he watched.

"She wasn't one to take no for an answer, either. She also had an amazing willpower and even when times were tough, she never once faltered. Never once had doubts or misconceptions when I had to leave—she always stood behind me, one hundred percent. She understood and I hated that she did. And then I would love her even more for it. She was beautiful, inside and out… and…" His voice wavered, forcing him to take a deep breath as he spoke.

"And she hated it when I signed back onto the fleet at the start of the war. I had planned on… on leaving soon, to join her…"

"What about your son?" She asked quickly, surprising him again. She was trying to not make him linger on difficult memories any longer than necessary. He appreciated it.

"Dustil?" He looked down into his hands, reveling in how useless they were then and how useless they are now. Thinking back to a time when he was able to hold his son in them. "I… I don't know. I don't know what happened to him. The colony was a complete ruin, and we never found any trace of him. I made inquiries and followed the reports from Telos for years, but… I stopped. I just couldn't…. take it. I had to accept the truth despite wanting to… to keep looking." He sighed, letting allthe memories just roll right off of him.

It had been a long time since he let himself revisit those memories, those days, those moments. They still hurt and burned him as if they were happening again but the pain eased the more he spoke. It was… calming, almost, to tell someone about these memories he had been keeping with him for so long.

"I guess… that's my story. For what it's worth." Samirah placed a timid hand on his shoulder, earning his gaze and a ghost of a smile that seemed to want to fade away with his memories.

"Thank you. For this. For finally telling me and opening up to me." She said, smiling softly at him.

"I've… never talked about it before. To anyone" He said, not meeting her eyes. "I suppose it's time I finally did. I suppose… It was time I let go. I've kept it with me, and only me, for so many years… I guess that's where I stopped trusting people. All that… All that pent up anger and distrust… I couldn't afford to let anyone that close ever again. Samirah… I'm sorry. I'm so-"She placed a finger on his lip, stopping him from saying anything more before cupping his chin and making him look at her.

"Shhh… the apology portion of our night is over so you better quit it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling the way you do and holding on to something like that for so long. You did what you thought you had too and I can't fault you for that. I can't fault you for anything. Things like that take time and I'm willing to wait as long as you need me too. Don't force yourself to do _anything_ you aren't ready for. Just know that you don't have to hide it anymore; you don't have to bottle it up and hope that it'll go away. You can tell me. You can let it out. You're not alone in this anymore."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to tell you?" He said with a crooked smile, the painful memories hidden in the lines of his face and his tired eyes. She smiled ruefully back at him, releasing her hold of his chin.

"I guess I beat you to the punch then, Mr. Onasi. You'll just have to work harder from here on out." He gave her a big smile, nodding his head slowly.

"I guess I will." They smiled at each other, slowly falling into a comfortable silence.

They stared at each other, smiling contently. This was how they were supposed to be. No more fights, no more arguing, no more suspicion and definitely no more accusations. It was supposed to be calm, relaxed and tranquil. To find peace in each other's company. That was how Carth wanted everyday to be like: to always know that she was there for him and for her to always know that he was there for her.

"Samirah, I—" He was interrupted as the comm turned on and Bastila's voice came through.

"_Carth, I believe we are all on board and that all the necessary repairs have been made as well as all the restocking of the ships supplies. If you would be so kind as to come to up here and navigate this ship to Tatooine, that would be very much appreciated. Thank you." _The comm switched off and Carth sighed again, looking to Samirah with a raised eyebrow.

"So we leave a Jungle and dive head first into the sands of Tatooine?" Samirah shrugged with a smile.

"Hey, she makes the calls, not me. I wouldn't mind heading to Coruscant for a change of pace." He gave her a questioning look and she just shrugged again.

"Coruscant?"

"I don't think there are that many people on Coruscant who want our heads so yes, Coruscant would be a nice place to just relax on… Hell, I'd take Nar Shaddaa. Least I know my way around that place and could easily get us a nice hiding spot." She said, reclining back and folding her hands behind her head. "Anywhere but where the danger is." She mused hopefully.

Carth stood up, reaching his hand out to pull her up to her feet. She took it, letting Carth pull her up effortlessly but in the process, pulled her in close by accident. Very close. Their noses were almost touching but neither one of them moved away. Instead, their eyes locked in and her face slowly started to turn red. She could nearly hear his heart beat and could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. She swallowed hard, raising her hand slowly and placing it on his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart and how each breath made his chest rise and fall.

She didn't want to move.

He didn't want to move.

"Carth…" She whispered, swallowing hard once more. He opened his mouth to respond but never got the chance.

"_Carth!"_ Bastila shouted from across the ship and they both instantly pulled away from each other.

"_I'm coming Bastila! Don't get your robe all in a twist!" _He shouted back, stuffing his hands in his pocket. Samirah fiddled with her fingers, trying hard to not make eye contact with him. "I, uh, I better go get us set on course." He said, nudging with his thumb towards Bastila.

Samirah could only nod, trying hard to hide the blush on her face as she did so. How foolish of her… what had happened? What was she expecting to happen? He had just finished telling her the story of his wife and son… what was wrong with her?

"Samirah?" She slowly pulled her gaze up to see Carth looking back at her. He was now in the hallway, his hand on the frame of the door as he smiled at her. "When this is all over, when we do everything that we can to win this war… we'll go somewhere. Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa—you name it. We'll take a vacation, ok?" Her face instantly lit up and all she could do was nod her head at him. He smiled back, disappearing down the hallway to find Bastila.

She fell back against the wall, sliding down the length of it as she fiddled with a strand of her hair. She bit her lower lip, trying hard to not giggle even though she wanted too so badly. When this was all over… they would all be ok. She took a deep breath, smiling at the idea that once this was over she and Carth would… would what?

Her face slowly fell and she smacked her head on the wall again.

What was she expecting? Maybe he meant the whole ship. The entire crew. Why did she automatically assume it would be just him and her? Why would she even assume that as a possibility? The Council would _never accept that. _It was a ludicrous idea. Nothing could ever happened between them. She needed to get rid of these feelings and she needed to just let them go. Wait. Feelings? What feelings?! She didn't have any feelings! That was Jedi 101: There is no emotion, there is peace.

She rubbed her head with both hands, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind. No, no, no, no! Bad Samirah, bad! How could she even—

A sound in the room made her freeze.

She lifted her head, looking around the cargo hold. There were boxes of new provisions that Zaalbar had acquired but not put away as of yet… but surely they were full? She stood up, slowly walking towards the boxes and opening them up. She could hear the sound of Carth raising the loading ramp and starting up the engines as they plotted the course for Tatooine, but that wasn't the sound she had heard. She ruffled through boxes, finding nothing but food packages and provisions before moving on to newer boxes. When she made it to the supply container, she frowned as she examined empty and half eaten packages.

So this is what Jolee and Zaalbar have been mumbling about. She had had her fair share of provisions but none of which did she leave here. Now that she thought about it, no one aboard the ship would. A rustling sound from behind her drew her attention to the far wall of the cargo bay. She moved as quietly as she could, using a bit of the Force to muffle the sounds of her movement. She lifted a hand, reaching out with more of the Force to discern the sound and to see with the Force. When she felt the presence, she scrunched her eyebrows together.

The wall?

She approached the wall, searching it for some button or some device. There was nothing on the other side of the wall that would cause any noise—not the ship or a crew member at least. When her hand found an anomaly on the wall, she pressed it and the wall lifted to reveal a small girl huddled inside the wall. When she looked at Samirah, her eyes went wide in horror and she started to scream.

"Ahhh! Na abds! Na abds!" The girl cowered inside, using her arms to shield her face from Samirah. She couldn't have been older than nine or ten years old.

"What?! Calm down, calm down! Who are you? How did you get on my ship?" When she reached out to touch the girl, she screamed again, nearly falling into sobs. She had short blonde hair and she was covered in dirt from head to toe.

"Na abds! Me hoot bad liaz! Awnts!" Samirah slowly reached out, attempting to calm the girl down instead of making her scream again.

"Shh, shh, it's ok, it's ok… I'm not here to hurt you… do you understand? I. Won't. Hurt. You." The girl slowly unfolded her arms, looking at Samirah cautiously and at her outstretched hand.

"Yoo… yooba me na abds?" Samirah scrunched her face up again, trying to determine what the girl was attempting to say.

"I don't know what you mean… I don't know that language…" The girl slowly started to unfold herself from within the compartment, her eyes on Samirah the entire time. As she climbed out, Samirah noted all the empty packages that were hidden inside with her. How long had she been a stowaway on this ship?

"Yooba me kapsie?" She asked quietly, shaking her head as if she was trying to tell Samirah she didn't understand either. Samirah gave her the space she needed, trying to not scare her anymore than she had.

"Can you tell me your name? Name. My name… is Samirah. Samirah." She said, pointing to herself. The girl slowly nodded, mimicking the action.

"Waaba soosa Sasha…."

"Sasha?" She said quickly, hoping to be making some progress. "Is that your name? Is that right? Sasha?" The girl nodded quickly, a big smile on her face as she kept pointing to herself. Samirah saw her dirty clothes and noted that they were simple robes, nothing like that of the Jedi Order. Who was she? She wasn't even speaking a common language…

"Waaba soosa Sasha!" She then gestured all around her, small dimples forming on her cheeks as she smiled wide and kept going. "Sasha na esowon in bristag. Bristag me laesfa!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down… "Samirah said frantically, trying hard to figure out what she was saying. She kept her arms stretched out, trying to measure how close the girl was willing to let her get. "I don't know what you're speaking… it almost sounds Mandalorian but you—"The girl's eyes went wide as she backed away, crying out at Samirah and shaking her head frantically.

"Manlorey! Manlorey is nag on-disen! Manlorey abds!" She screamed and Samirah panicked, waving her hands to try and calm the girl but she only screamed louder, backing herself up into a corner and huddling into a ball.

"What? Manlorey? Is that what you call Mandalorians? So you are speaking Mandalorian? That can't be Mandalorian, can it?" The questions were more directed at herself then at Sasha as she tried to figure out what to do.

She realized too late that just by saying Mandalorian, she made the girl scream louder and more frantic as she waved her arms at Samirah, trying to keep her away. Samirah knelt down as close as Sasha would let her, trying to soothe her.

"Manlorey abds! Manlorey abds! Ahhh!" She screamed again, hiding her face into her knees and rocking herself. Samirah let out a big sigh, watching for a moment as the girl screamed and panicked in the corner of the cargo hold. Tears were streaming down her face.

"You know what? Hold that thought… Canderous! CANDEROUS!" Samirah screamed out loud as she got up and hurried from the cargo hold, leaving the crying girl in her corner for a moment.

She had just turned the corner when she bumped into the very Mandalorian she was seeking. When she lost her balance from impact, he caught and steadied her with a puzzled expression. She immediately clamped both hands on his shoulder and gave him an exasperated look.

"Canderous! By the Force, I need your help!" He lifted an eyebrow at her, looking in the direction of the cargo hold but not able to see inside.

"I figured as much when I heard the screaming and then you shouting my name. What in Mandalore's name are you doing, kid? Torturing Mission in there?" He asked suspiciously and Samirah shook her head slowly at him, no hint of humor in her face.

"No… worse…" She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the cargo hold where Sasha cried.

She looked up to see Samirah and Canderous, only to scream again and scoot as far away as she possibly could. She couldn't go further than the wall but never the less, she made the attempt. Canderous winced at her crying, trying to turn around and leave but Samirah kept him in place. He just grimaced as she kept a firm hold of his arm.

"Oh no you don't, I need you right now." She stated firmly. "Sasha. Sasha. Sasha!" She screamed, holding her hand out with the force stop her movements and calm her down. Sasha shivered in place, her lower lip quivering as she kept her eyes on Canderous. "Sasha, he is my friend. Friend. Good. He won't hurt you. Understand? No hurt."

Her eyes watered as Samirah slowly lowered her hand. Sasha didn't scream, but instead, shivered in place.

"No…No abds? Manlorey no abds?" Canderous' face scrunched up as he looked to Samirah for clarification. She only shook her head at Sasha.

"I'm assuming you're asking if he'll hurt you. No Sasha, he won't hurt you, right, Canderous?" When he didn't say anything, she jabbed him in the side with her elbow and he grunted.

"Yeah, sure, I don't plan on hurting you kid. Not sure why I'm even here." He said, looking to Samirah with a raised eyebrow.

She put a hand up to her forehead, looking at Canderous wearily.

"I don't know what she's speaking. Bits of it sound like Mando'a to me but my Mando'a is a little rusty." Canderous just grunted again as he smirked, earning himself another jab from Samirah.

"So you want me to try and figure out the kid's language?" He asked, crossing his arms and leaning on one leg so as to better look at Samirah.

"I don't know!" She admitted. "Who did you want me to go ask? Zaalbar? Look, you know Mando'a better than I do and all I want is your help. Either we figure out what she's saying or you help me teach her Mando'a. Or something… I don't know Canderous. I don't know what to do. Whatever we do, it'd be easier with your help…" She admitted finally, looking back at the shivering girl who was hiding her face again.

"Well, I guess I don't have anything better to do then, kid. What's the first step?" He asked and she smiled at him, quickly jumping up and hugging him. He froze a moment before she pulled away and noted his horrified expression of surprise.

"Oh…" she said, fidgeting. "Right. Not a touchy, feely kind of guy are you?" She asked and the grimace on his face answered her question. "Right. Ok. First plan of action. We need to clean her up before we do anything else."

"You've got to be kidding me…" Canderous muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Samirah gave him a stern look and he grumbled before looking at the child. "_Come with me, child."_ He said sternly in Mando'a. The girl looked at him funny before Samirah knelt down and offered her hand.

"_Come with __**us**__." _Samirah repeated, amending it so as to include herself. She shot him a look and Canderous just rolled his eyes, but nodded in compliance. Sasha gingerly took her hand and they led her through the ship, letting her take each step quietly and steadily.

"You know, you're going to owe me for this." Canderous said with a sly smile, ignoring Sasha for the moment as she slowly walked with them. She was careful to inspect every inch of the ship while she had the chance.

"Do I? If I recall correctly, someone still owes me for getting their ass off Taris and away from a crime lord." She countered with a playful smile. Canderous looked away, grunting in response. "So I guess this makes us even."

Her smile grew bigger when she saw a crooked smile slowly forming on his face.

They made it quietly to the refresher, opening it up and letting Sasha inside. Samirah gave her everything she would need, promising to check back in after she found Sasha some clothes. Sasha was reluctant to let Samirah leave, her eyes darting back and forth from her to Canderous. So, Samirah had to amend her statement and ask Canderous if he would find something for the girl to wear. After an incredulous look from Canderous and some eye rolling, he finally left and Sasha was able to relax after a moment. Samirah waited outside the door as Sasha washed off and scrubbed away the dirt and grime that had accumulated on her from within the small compartment she had made her home.

Samirah sat on the floor beside the door, hugging her legs to her chest and resting her forehead on her knees. It had been one of those days. She was sure that they had already left Dantooine and she couldn't ask that they turn around and go back now. She would have to keep Sasha on board for now and so long as she listened and didn't scream anymore… Samirah was sure she could handle it.

She smiled with her eyes closed, thinking on how Sasha almost resembled Seyda.

_The only thing that has made me strong since then is that I have found something—someone—I want to protect._

_I remember holding my wife and screaming for the medics. They… they didn't come in time._

She shivered as a cold chill ran down her spine.

To have someone you cared for… to be able to protect them… that was a source of strength but it was also a weakness. Titus believed he had found his strength through Seyda and that he could be strong and protect people. Carth… He lost his wife and in doing so, lost faith in himself and in others. Should you lose them, that person you wanted to protect—should you prove unable to protect them… what happens to your resolve? She understood why the Jedi teach you to forgo all emotion but that was something she struggled to let go of.

To her, it was like putting out the light of a candle. The warmth and the light would be gone and you'd be left with an empty, cold room. She shivered at the thought of how Carth must have felt, holding his dying wife in his arms and knowing that there was nothing more he could do to save her. That was a feeling of helplessness she hoped she never had to feel; never had to face.

A timid hand on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts as she turned to see Sasha standing behind her with a towel wrapped around her. Her hair was dripping wet as steam rolled out of the refresher, her face flushed from the warmth. Samirah smiled, wiping away the strands that stuck to her forehead. She got a clear view of the girls face, her prominent features and the green-blue eyes that looked back at her. Her blonde hair was cropped at her chin, clinging to her damp skin as she shivered in the brisk air of the ship.

"Sa… mirah…" She said slowly and Samirah's face lit up in delight.

"Yes, Sasha. Samirah." She whispered back, pointing to herself with a nod of her head. Sasha returned the expression, smiling excitedly despite her shivers.

Samirah moved herself from her sitting position to sitting on her legs and pulling Sasha into her arms. The girl instinctively curled up into her, snuggling into the warmth that radiated from Samirah. She took the end of the towel and tried to dry off Sasha's head but she the small girl wouldn't stop fidgeting.

_No more dying,_ Samirah thought, _no more helpless endeavors and no more pouting over what could be. _She looked at Sasha with a smile as the girl frowned. There were still a few smudges on her face that she promptly wiped away despite Sasha's protest.

"I'll keep you safe, little one. Understand?" Sasha just looked at her quizzically, obviously not understanding but Samirah hoped she understood enough to know that she was safe here. "No more hurt."

"No abds." Sasha stated firmly, somewhat getting at what Samirah was saying… least she hoped so. Samirah nodded, a small smile on her face.

"That's right. No abds. Not anymore."

* * *

**And done.**

**Two chapters.**

**I was aiming for three but seeing as how long this second one turned out and how long you guys were already waiting, I said to hell with it, and focused on these two. But I will have another, as always! I would say "soonish" but every time I do, it's about 3-4 months later so I'm going to work on it and post it "as soon as I can". I will try my hardest to not make you wait any longer then ****necessary. My semester is out and the summer is mine and I plan on writing. A lot. **

**Besure to R&R if you would, tell me what you think and anything else. I am always happy to hear from you all.**

**A happy note goes out to Athena Sapphire yet again, for messaging and keeping tabs on me so that I don't get lost in my own world for too long. I thank you my dear, I always appreciate a message from you 3**

**She also informed me of a car that had the license plate SAMIRA7. That is awesome. Samirah strikes again!**

**A big thank you to everyone as well. For your patience and understanding as I get myself into gear.**

**You guys are the best.**

**-SS-**


	32. Chapter 31: It's Complicated

**Disclaimer: Yeah. Well. I still don't have the rights to KOTOR... *sigh***

**Oh, my faithful readers! How I have missed you so! **

**I have a chapter for you and it has come to be a little bit longer than originally anticipated. I couldn't find a point where I was happy just ending the chapter so I kept writing and it ended up being 31 pages long. That's not a bad thing, at least, I hope its not. I figured you would all enjoy the length! As the title to this chapter states... it was a bit of a complicated chapter for me to write for various reasons. Not that this part of the story is complicated, just me, myself and I arguing over our creative difference.**

**Nice, right?**

**Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks you all for your patience!**

**-SilverShards-**

* * *

**It's...Complicated**

_"There's no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another."_

* * *

Samirah rubbed her left temple in hopes of relieving the pressure that was slowly building up. They were less than an hour away from Tatooine and she hadn't been doing a whole lot of resting since departing from the Jedi Enclave. The Enclave in itself wasn't even a time for much rest if she really thought about it. There was always a sort of _decorum_ that was required of all Jedi and she felt it even more instilled into the lifestyle of the Jedi at the Enclave. Every Jedi she encountered seemed to present themselves with as much honor and dignity as they could possibly muster. As Carth would tell her, they were too stiff for his liking. So _proper._

No room for errors which, to Samirah, made her feel like she was walking on shards of glass whenever another Jedi was in the room with her. Being so new and rushed through the training, she felt as much an outsider as she was sure Canderous or Mission felt. Being on her toes so much meant there was no time to truly feel at ease or to even rest unless she was on her ship.

And she knew she'd be spending plenty of time on the _Ebon Hawk._

She had assumed that a break would have come to her shortly after leaving the Enclave but the unexpected arrival of Juhani made things take a bit of a turn for the worse. She was a feisty and hard woman and despite the Jedi training, she showed resentment in her features whenever Bastila and Samirah passed her by. It didn't take a Force user to know that Juhani wasn't going to let go of the fact that she had been left behind. Bastila had assured Samirah that in time she would understand and come to terms but that for now, they should leave her to her own meditations. Samirah reluctantly agreed, opting to leave the Cathar alone for the time being.

That didn't alleviate the feeling of guilt she felt whenever her eyes met Juhani's piercing glare. Should they ever find themselves in the same room, Samirah would always notice Juhani watching her carefully. As if Juhani was sizing her up and watching for Samirah to slip up somewhere. Whenever their eyes met, however, Juhani would look away and either leave or find something to occupy herself with. More often than not, she left. It was an unusual predicament seeing as how they were both Jedi and… well… weren't Jedi supposed to be above such a thing? Wasn't there supposed to be no emotion? Samirah was pretty sure that she was feeling all sorts of emotions rolling off Juhani like an ice storm.

Perhaps that was why the dark side found her in the first place.

Shaking her head, Samirah decided that Juhani was a problem she would have to sort out when she had more time on her hands, unfortunately. Time that, as of late, was becoming very precious seeing as how very little of it was simply just hers.

For the majority of their journey to Tatooine, Samirah, along with Canderous, had been attending to their small stowaway named Sasha. In terms of language, they hadn't been making much progress but Sasha understood enough Mando'a that it made things a bit easier to talk with her. Not by much though. After many attempts at discerning what dialect she was speaking, Canderous came to the conclusion that what she was speaking was a mixture of fractured Mando'a and something she had come up with to fill in the gaps. Sasha didn't really have any formal teachings when it came down to language so she did her best.

They were going to have to teach her Mando'a since she was already familiar with it enough to possibly grasp it. With a lot of coaxing and promises of a few new toys, Samirah was able to convince Canderous to help her out. It only made sense that he teach the girl. What Mando'a Samirah spoke was minimal and average at best. It wasn't one of her more dominant and well practiced dialects.

But all of that wasn't the current source of her slowly forming headache. A particular smuggler in question was the prodding figure at the moment. He wasn't really helping her out as much as she had hoped.

"_Wait, wait, wait."_ He said, choking back a chuckle and holding his hands out to stop her from continuing her explanation. Samirah just frowned as she listened to his failed attempt of _not_ laughing at her.

"_You're going to have to run that one by me again…You're a what? Doing __**what**__ out there, exactly?" _The holo flickered before her as the smuggler raised an eyebrow in question and put his hands on his hips, his unmistakable crooked grin in place. He was enjoying this too much. He shifted his weight to one leg, shaking his head slowly and chuckled again. "_Well that explains why they were so defensive when I asked about you at that Enclave. You know, you're not exactly Jedi material, Angel Eyes."_

_ "_Not Jedi material? You think I don't already know that? Kelko, they wouldn't let me say no. Honestly, I tried. You don't know how hard it is to say no to the Jedi and they actually accept it once their mind has been made up. They said no to _my_ no. Can you believe that?" She said incredulously, tensing her shoulders as she gestured towards Kelko. He just smiled at her with a raised eyebrow which only made her groan. "I'm starting to think this is all too much for me to handle…" She said with a groan, rubbing her face with both hands. He only shrugged with a smile.

"_What? You mean to tell me that the great Jedi life we all grew up hearing about isn't what it's chalked up to be? The glowie stick, the great hours and oh, don't forget all those benefits of Jedi magic, right?"_ He said sarcastically with a half smile. She just gave him a reproachful look and he sighed. "_Hey, don't look at me like that, Angel Eyes. I just don't think that was such a great idea. I mean, you know what it's like dealing with them and you know how I feel about them."_

"Kelko, they're not _that _bad… I mean, they're a little uptight but…"

"_From what you said about the Jedi Princess you're running around with… I'm not so sure." _He said with a chuckle, shifting his weight from leg to leg.

"Her name is Bastila and she doesn't represent the whole order. I didn't get a choice in this, Kelko. It wasn't _my_ choice. Everything just happened so fast and I… I just…" She stammered, remembering all the events that had brought her up to this point. She let out a big sigh, running her finger through her hair.

"_Hey, hey, now there's no need to get so flustered, Angel Eyes. I'm just a little concerned about you. The last thing I need is your little head getting reprogrammed by those damnable Jedi and have you chasing me down too. It's bad enough they preach at me, let alone try and shut down my operations."_ He shook his head, frowning at the very idea. She smiled, remembering the few times they had to try and outrun a Jedi because Kelko had gotten on their bad side. Usually they have more important things to do than to track down a harmless smuggler but Kelko always had a knack for pissing them off.

"_I'd like to keep you just the way you are, if I could. I liked you just fine when you were a simple do-gooder of a scout. It was kind of cute. Running off and joining the Jedi is a little bit of over-kill, don't you think, Angel Eyes? If you didn't feel like you were doing enough good in the world, we could have gone and rescued some puppies from certain doom." _He asked with a knowing look. When she just laughed but didn't say anything more, he continued, speaking with feigned reluctance. "_And maybe… just maybe, because I haven't heard from you in so long, I feel as though I have to make up for lost time. It's not the same without you to tease." _He grinned when she tried to suppress a smile. She was trying to look at him with a look of annoyance but couldn't manage it.

His voice was a light, smoky sound and an unexpected comfort to her ears. Hearing him talk reminded her of all the fun and trouble they used to get into. Just simply hearing her voice made her miss her old life and her old missions. The ones were the Galaxy wasn't in danger if she failed.

He was dressed as he always was; a light tan shirt with a brown leather duster rolled up to his elbows and brown leather gloves. His belt had two straps across his sides, holstering his dual blasters snuggly against his legs. His brown slacks were tucked into his knee high, black tactical boots where she was certain that he kept his spare blade for when the fight got dirty. Which, of course, it usually did. He was fond of the old saying: offer one hand, arm the other. It was sort of his code to live by. On top of his sandy blonde hair was his usual signature wide brimmed, brown hat tilted to the side.

It was riddled with blaster burns and scuffs from the many cantina fights he had participated in. Even back when they traveled together, he would do anything to save that hat of his no matter their circumstance. He gave her a crooked smile, crossing his arms and starting a count on one hand.

"_So, let me get this straight. You crashed landed on Taris, stole a smuggling ship from Davik Kang—a notorious crime lord whom you had to later kill, then killed Calo Nord who, might I just add, is a damn crazy and hard to kill son of a bitch. Trust me, I've heard stories and encounters that would curl your toes, Baby Doll. You'll have to give me more details on that one." _He said pointedly with raised eyebrows before continuing. "_Joined up with the preaching Jedi, fought the oh-so-sunny-and-cheerful Czerka corporation, saved a village in Kashyyyk and now you're off to Tatooine for some mission that the Jedi thought only you could complete?" _When Samirah nodded he just chuckled, shaking his head and looking down. "_Well, Angel Eyes, can't say I'm surprised. You always had a winning streak."_

_ "_I wouldn't call that a winning streak." She grumbled, placing one hand on her hip and running the other through her hair again.

She didn't have her hair up in a ponytail and instead, let it freely fall onto her shoulders. It slightly relieved the pressure that had been building up in her temple for hours. She opted to wear something other than her usual attire of robes, wanting to feel more comfortable and relaxed. She was adorned with an off-white, loose fitting t-shirt and a pair of fitted slacks.

"_Excitement always did know how to find you. Always has since I met you. So let me take a stab at what you're about to tell me now… You're going to need me to watch after your baby a little bit longer, aren't you?" _They both stayed quiet for a moment as she nodded her head slowly. He let out a long sigh, scratching his head right under his hat.

"Is… will that be a problem, Kelko?" She asked quickly, misreading his reaction as a sign of annoyance. He chuckled, looking off to the side at something Samirah couldn't see. After a moment, he looked back at her and placed his hands in his jacket pockets with a smile.

"_Trouble? Of course not. Me and I9 here have been becoming good, close friends." _His smile faltered as the mechanical voice spoke up.

_ "Master Alda, Mr. Sett has been participating in illegal actions on Carratos that I would like to formally protest." _I9 walked into view, showing himself to Samirah. He was a protocol droid that she had acquired during one of her many exploits. He was a forest green color, a red scarf tied around his neck and knotted at the side._ "I would also like to protest the matter of me working for this pirate!" _Samirah smiled, pursing her lips as Kelko frowned at I9-4V from where he stood.

"_Now hold on just a second here, I didn't do anything that warranted being called a pirate. Just because you don't approve doesn't mean I'm a pirate! Come on, Angel eyes, back me up here.."_

_ "_I9, your protest has been noted but I can't leave Kelko to man my ship alone. I really do need you to be there and keep her flying while the _pirate_ is onboard." Kelko looked down, his hands on his waist as he shook his head.

"_That hurts, Angel Eyes."_

_ "Yes, master. I will abide by your commands. However, I would like it to be noted that I do so under protest." _With that, he walked away to carry on with his duties, leaving Kelko to look on after him with a frown before looking back to Samirah from under his hat.

"_You picked a real winner with that one."_

_ "_Well, when he's not made to participate in illegal jobs, he's a good droid. Loyal. Listen, you do what you need to do, just don't hurt my ship in the process. It would also be nice if my ship didn't get tagged as an illegal smuggling ship while you have her." He took his hat off, crossing it over his chest as he did a steep bow.

"_Why, they'll never even know I exist. I'm careful with what I do." _He placed his hat back on, holding the back rim with one hand and the front with another as he pulled it on tighter. "_I'm a professional."_

She smiled, feeling reassured already. She hated not being able to see him or her ship, but she felt that she needed to at least tell him what was going on. He did, after all, go through all the trouble of traveling to Dantooine in search of her. He deserved answers and to know her current situation.

"_Hey, let me ask you something," _He started, earning her attention. "_You think you'll stay a Jedi? You know, forever? What I mean is, once you guys are done doing your little scavenger hunt… will you be able to leave the order and go back to your old life?"_ She crossed her arms tightly around her chest, looking down at her feet and curling her toes.

"Kelko… I'm not sure I get much of a choice in the matter. I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet. I've had so much to think about and to worry over, you don't know what it's been like so far. What I've told you thus far was only a fraction of it. I don't know how well I'd do at being a Jedi once this whole issue is settled and my purpose is served. Hell, I don't think I'm doing so great at it now!" She groaned, throwing her hands in the air and letting them fall back down at her side. She slowly looked up at him, letting out a long sigh. "I'd really like to get back to my ship and start being _me_ again." He chuckled again, giving her a big smile through the holo and shaking his head at her.

"_Oh Angel Eyes, I don't think a lightsaber and a little Jedi magic are going to change who you are. Yeah, so you can use the Force but that doesn't mean you can't be Samirah anymore. I mean, you still look as radiant as a krayt dragon pearl to me so clearly you haven't changed that much." _He winked at her and she laughed, leaning back against the table that was situated behind her.

"Always the charmer."

"_I wouldn't be Kelko Sett if I wasn't."_ He said, smiling at her from the holo.

"And I wouldn't have him any other way." She said softly, a small ache in her chest forming. It forced her arms to tighten their hold around her for comfort.

"_Aw, stop. You're going to make me blush, love." _He said kicking the floor in mock embarrassment. She just smiled at him. When he looked back at her, his face was softer and a little more serious. "_You know… I miss you, Angel Eyes."_

Her heart skipped a beat. Her voice was caught in her throat, her smile slowly falling as she stared at the monitor in mild surprise. She was trying to conceal it but couldn't hide all of it.

"Kelko…" She managed to whisper after the suddenness of his words had worn off. "I've really missed you too. After everything that's happened… things have—"

"_Hey now," _He said softly, "_Don't you get all emotional on me now. You know I can't handle it when you start getting all upset. Especially when I'm too far away to do anything about it." _She lowered her eyes, nodding her head slowly.

"I miss home, Kelko."

"_I know you do, Angel Eyes. I know you do. Home misses you too." _He leaned to the side, against what Samirah assumed was the hull of her ship. He crossed his legs at the ankle and folded his arms over his chest again, getting comfortable.

"_You've gone off to do better and bigger things, love. I always knew you would. Something tells me you were always meant to go and save people. To get your name out there instead of hiding in the shadows with a __**pirate**__ like me."_He rolled his eyes when he said _pirate,_ shooting a pointed look off to the side. The sound of metal feet quickly walking made Samirah smile.

_This ship will always be your home,"_ He said, finally looking back at her,_ "And when you're ready to get back to her… I'm only a call away. Promise." _He winked, shooting her one of his wonderfully crooked smiles.

The way he said it made her stomach do somersaults. He had always looked out for her, from the moment they met. Knowing that he'd be right there, waiting for her to call… well, it meant she had a home to go to when this was all over. A home where I9, _the Silver Meridian… _and Kelko… waited for her.

_ "_Thank you, Kelko. I mean it. Thank you." He immediately grinned, the seriousness fading away from his features and instantly being replaced by his usual look. The look that got him into trouble frequently whenever they traveled.

"_Ah, well, you know… Ol' Kelko Sett has a reputation to keep. A damsel in distress is my specialty, after all."_ His use of the word _damsel_ reminded her oddly of Carth which only made her giggle.

_Blow away the bad guys, of course. Save the damsel in distress. The usual thing._

_ Oh, the usual. Well that's not so hard, is it? I'd like to think that's what I've been doing this whole time, so it sounds like I just need to keep it up then, don't I?_

When Kelko raised an eyebrow at her sudden giggle, she shook her head and opted for not explaining. Even though Kelko didn't exactly remind her of Carth… he also, in a way, kind of did. It was a strange feeling, really.

"You keep up that charm and you'll find the damsels falling at your feet." He chuckled in response, shaking his head.

"_Falling at my feet, you say? I'd like to hope I'd catch them __**before **__they fell."_ This time, Samirah joined in with his chuckle.

They both smiled as they enjoyed the moment. Their moment. It was like old times. Samirah couldn't help but feel at ease with their playful banter and how familiar it felt. It reminded her of a life she didn't have anymore and now, more than ever, she felt like she needed that reminder. Something that would keep her whole and from losing herself in this war. Kelko was someone from her old life who knew her like her crew could possibly never know her as. To know her as Samirah Noval Alda… a scout for the Republic. A nameless soldier who ventured where no others dared to go.

"It's been good talking to you, Kelko. Really, it has. Keep an eye on my ship and I9. He may disagree with you and call you names but he'll be loyal. I promise. Just update me on how things are going. I'll do the same for you." He stood straight, tipping his hat towards her with a crooked smile.

"_Whatever you like, Angel Eyes. I've missed our time together as well. I'll be here waiting to hear from you. What is it you __**Jedi**__ say, now? Force be with you?"_ He joked and she let out a big sigh. When she looked pointedly at him, he chuckled and held his hands out in defense. "_Sorry, sorry. You be good, Angel Eyes. I'll be here."_

"I'll count on it."

With that the transmission cut out, leaving Samirah alone. Despite his playful and carefree nature, Kelko was a good guy. He was someone she could count on and trust, always. She knew that whatever trouble she got into, he would have her back. He never even second guessed her. He had been with her ever since she started scouting for the Republic. Of all places, her first visit to Nar Shaddaa was where she found him. A crafty old smuggler she ran into by accident and the inevitable savior of her life. He pulled her out of a pinch and stuck close to her afterwards. He really did have a thing for being a hero.

There was a time when… when she had grown fond of him. A relationship was something the two of them could never have. She knew that. Especially seeing as how it was one sided, or so she thought. There were times when she wondered about what could have been and where she would be now if something between them _had_ happened. She would dismiss the thought the moment it formed. Especially considering how she was a Jedi and romantic inclinations were severely frowned upon. She knew that. Everyone knew that. Kelko had to know it too… didn't he? Not that it mattered anymore. There was nothing between them before and there could be nothing between them now.

Even if there was no romance, they were inseparable and protective of one another. If one of them got into a pinch, the other broke them out. They had symmetry whenever they worked together. They compensated for each other's weaknesses. They were as close as people could get without having a relationship, much to her disappointment at the time. He never left her and she never left him… until she was assigned to the _Endar Spire, _at least_._ A supposedly quick mission that had no room for a dusty old smuggler like Kelko. Not that he wanted to be cramped on a Republic ship anyway… they sort of frowned on his occupation of choice.

"Angel Eyes?"

Her head snapped up, freezing at the sound of her nickname. When she turned, only to see Canderous leaning on a door frame, she frowned. He was smirking at her, an eyebrow raised in question.

"An old nickname." She replied shortly, a wry smile forming. As improbably as it was… she was expecting Kelko to be standing in his place. "I thought you were supposed to be with Sasha?"

"The kid's fast asleep and in bed. She was getting all upset and frustrated talking to me so she gave up and went to bed. Stubborn kid…Mission decided to hang back and watch her in case she woke up." She smirked, crossing her arms casually. It didn't surprise her that he had that kind of effect on small children. "Which brings us back to you." Her smirk immediately faded as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, a frown slowly forming.

"Not going to drop it, are you?"

He lifted an eyebrow at her, expectantly awaiting an answer. She sighed, staring intently at the holoterminal in front of her and replaying the conversation between her and Kelko in her head as Canderous waited. She remained leaning against the table, her legs crossed at her ankle and her arms still crossed against her chest.

"He used to always say I was easy on the eyes." She started with a small smile. "When we first met, I wouldn't tell him my name so it didn't take long before he started calling me _Angel Eyes." _She shook her head, looking at Canderous in an exasperated smile. "The name stuck. Ever since our little _job_ on Nar Shaddaa, he rarely ever calls me by my real name. He always said it was too formal for his taste. I think the first—"Her words were cut off as a jolt of energy shot through her body like a strike of lightning.

She felt herself sway, sliding against the table and heading for the floor. Her arms flew out to try and catch herself on the edge but everything was distorted and her feeble attempts were met with failure.

She didn't feel her body impact against the metal, nor could she hear, see or feel the world around her. Her senses were being overwhelmed by an intensity that she was becoming familiar with. Everything had gone dark, leaving only a slow glow that was forming at the heart of all the darkness. Samirah watched as it slowly grew until a flash of light lit up the dark place just enough for her to see the star map slowly open.

And then her sense picked up everything.

The cold chill of a cavern; a dry breeze brushing past her.

The roughness of the walls and the sand that swept across the floor from some opening behind her.

The staleness of the air that inhabited the cave.

The darkness, lit by only the map and the mouth of the cave.

She was aware of everything as if she was standing in the middle of the cave at that very moment. She felt that she could reach out and brush her finger tips against the cold stone of the cave. It felt so real and so…

"_Another step closer… we're so close to it!" _She couldn't make herself turn around. She already knew who it was. The bodies behind the voices.

Revan and Malak.

"_The secrets. The power. The knowledge. All of it will be ours. No one else's"._ She balled her hands up into a fist, concentrating with all her might on the scene around her. The cavern.

No… she was going to change their plans. Whatever it was they were after… whatever power they found… she was going to take it from them. She would follow their trail and unravel everything they had done. It was her mission. As the world began to slowly lose its substance, being pulled away from her, Samirah could hear a voice echoing against the walls. A hushed and distorted voice that followed behind her as the vision slowly subsided.

"_Malak… our vision is close to being realized…"_

Samirah's eye's fluttered open as the vision dissipated. Two faces were hovered over her and it took her a moment to realize that someone was holding her against them. She slowly shook her head and squeezed her eyes tightly shut in hopes of clearing her vision quickly. She rubbed her fingers across her eyelids and when she opened them again, she was met with a puzzled look from Canderous and a concerned look from Jolee.

"Easy does it, lass." He cautioned as she tried to get up with the help of Canderous.

He had her cradled in his arms, keeping her off the metal floor. Now that she had awoken, he gently helped her into a standing position but was careful to keep an arm on her in case she wasn't as steady as she thought she was. As they stood there standing, waiting for her to clear her thoughts, Jolee did a quick once over to make sure she wasn't physically harmed. Mentally… well… he could only do some much there.

"I'm… I'm alright." She assured them, waving them both off. "Just… another vision. Of the Map."

The fogginess that was left after the vision was slowly dissolving. It was so clear. As were they all. This one, however, picked up on every sense she had. It was taking her a moment to re-establish her bearings in reality.

"And?" Jolee prodded, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at her curiously. He wasn't aware of the fog the vision had brought on, so her hesitation bothered him. "Did it show you what's for dinner? Even after that blasted synthesizer was fixed, it still doesn't taste right. Horrid stuff you've got in there."

"I think we have more pressing matters than your taste in food, old man." Canderous remarked impatiently, crossing his arms. Jolee just huffed but stayed quiet while Canderous returned his attention to Samirah. "You were saying?"

"The star map. It showed me—"

"Samirah!" Bastila's voice rang down the hallway, followed by the sound of her quick stride. "Did you see it?" She called out as she hurried into the room, paying no one any mind save for Samirah. Before Samirah could respond to Bastila's inquiry, Bastila shook her head. "No, you must of. Silly of me to assume you hadn't."

Samirah simply frowned and Bastila offered her an apologetic smile. Through their bond, Samirah could feel the sincerity of it. Bastila hadn't been as hostile or indignant as she once had been. She was learning and that made it hard for Samirah to be irritated with her. She began to pace around, her fingers at her lips as she was slowly lost in thought.

"It seems the Force is guiding us, helping us retrace the steps of Malak and his old Master. Leading us ever closer to the Star Forge. Tatooine is known for little but blowing sand... I find it very surprising that there would be a star map somewhere in this desolate wasteland." She speculated, moving forward with their conversation as she slowly paced.

She was wearing her normal attire of pinkish-maroon colored robes and her hair was pulled back into two tightly braided tails. Strands were out of place and falling loose from her braid, the uneven strands of fringe hanging low in her gray eyes. Her lightsaber wasn't clipped to her belt as it usually was and Samirah had to assume that it was because she was jarred from her meditations by the vision.

"There must have been a time when Tatooine wasn't just a desert, right? It's not impossible… is it?"

Bastila paused in her movements for a moment, looking to Samirah as she contemplated the thought.

"Perhaps…" She started, rolling the thought around before shaking her head, "But that would have been tens of thousands of years in the past. Now there is nothing but the howling emptiness of the Dune Sea. Sand followed by… well, more sand."

"Did you see the cave?" Samirah crossed her arms, re-imagining the vision she had just encountered. It wasn't underground… there was light that poured in from the entrance. Wherever the entrance was.

The amount of time it would have taken to form that cave… well, it was plausible, wasn't it? That there was a time before the sands? She couldn't pretend that she was a geologist, or a topographer or one of those people who studied caves. That was an actual occupation right? They had scientists who studied caves, she was sure. That wasn't the point though. She knew nothing about how long it took things to form so it wasn't her specialty. It still had to be possible that Tatooine wasn't always a desert… right? It's the only explanation.

"I did." Bastila nodded slowly, cupping her chin in thought. "It would make sense that the maps would be hidden well within a cave to protect them from the dust and sandstorms. I suspect that there are many such caves and caverns hidden in the sands of the Dune Sea." She approached the holoterminal, fiddling with the controls until an image of Tatooine flickered to life. Both she and Samirah looked at the image, planning out the work that was obviously ahead of them.

"The creatures of this world probably use them as their lair…and I suspect that there are many to choose from." She said with a frown. Tatooine was quite a large planet. In retrospect, it could take them weeks or even months to go from cave to cave, searching for the map. That was time they did not have to spare.

"Well that's not going to complicate things…" Samirah said sourly, sighing quietly. Canderous only grinned and patted her back.

"I doubt a few creatures will stop us in our pursuit of those maps, _Angel Eyes_." That wasn't the vote of confidence she had been hoping for.

Nor the nickname she had wanted to hear.

Her eye twitched involuntarily at hearing Kelko's nickname for her being used by someone else. To make it worse… it was coming from Canderous. The Mandalorian. She turned to look at him, seeing that big, knowing grin and wanting nothing more than to wipe it off his face. Despite her sudden annoyance, she gave him the most sickeningly sweet smile and expression she could muster, clasping her hands together under her chin.

"Aww, thanks _Candie_. I feel so much safer knowing you'll be my knight in shining armor." She said, putting extra emphasis on the words _knight _and _shining. _His grin was immediately replaced by a look of revulsion at the new nickname.

He looked away, taking a few steps away from her as he grimaced in response. She just crossed her arms and smirked at him. He didn't meet her eyes, looking at the holo image of Tatooine instead. She took his response as a sign that he wouldn't keep up the nickname for her. _Kid_, worked just fine. Jolee watched their little exchange with a smile while Bastila was shaking her head, unaware of their encounter. She was preoccupied with their task at hand.

"I have no doubts that these things will become much clearer the closer to them we get." She paused again, tapping the side of her chin with her finger.

"How many caves do you think are out there? Tatooine is a big planet and most of it is nothing but desert." Samirah argued, her eyebrows pulling together in distress. "We found the Star Map on Kashyyyk through a miracle of the Force. We found it because we found Jolee and he knew where to look. I don't think we'll be as lucky here."

Jolee started chuckling as he leaned back against a table. He rubbed his balding head as Samirah turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Finding me was luck, was it?" He said, his voice light and carefree. However, as he spoke, Samirah knew it was anything but.

"There is no luck, Samirah." Bastila finished, eyeing her with a neutral face. "There is only the way of the Force. We will find the star maps with the help of the Force, that I have no doubts about. It has already shown us a key. The vision."

Samirah nodded slowly, considering her words with reluctance. She couldn't help but feel nervous and a little lost at the idea of scouring Tatooine for the map. Tatooine was a big planet and they were putting their faith completely into the Force, relying on it to show them the way. Bastila was right, of course. Everything they had accomplished thus far wasn't merely _luck_. The Force was helping them in their mission even if Samirah struggled with the concept.

"Well, that wasn't what I meant when I said it." Jolee said in a chipper tone and a smile that worried Samirah slightly. "Finding me was luck, she says…" He said again, letting the words just hang out in the air before chuckling some more. "Never thought of myself as a lucky find. If you think you can rub my head and steal my luck, you've got another thing coming, lass!" He said sharply, startling her as his chuckling abruptly stopped.

She blinked at him in surprise before he grumbled about his bald head before smiling to himself. What scared Samirah the most… was how devious his smile was. As if he were suddenly up to something.

Samirah watched as he made his way out of the main room, suddenly chuckling oddly as he did. Samirah could only blink in reaction. She had a feeling today was going to be one of those days. She wasn't sure why, but she was getting that distinct impression. She ran her fingers through her loose brunette hair, letting the waves fall to one side before putting her hands on her hips.

Someone once said you were only as good as the company you keep… so what did her crew say about her?

Bastila opened her mouth to speak, drawing Samirah's attention before the intercom switched on. Carth's voice came through, stopping whatever thought Bastila was about to share.

"_We are now docking at Anchorhead Spaceport. Looks like it's owned by Czerka so be prepared for anything. I doubt they know of our exploits on Kashyyyk but just in case, I recommend not bringing it up if we can help it. Give me a few minutes and we should be ready to go." _The comm cut out as Bastila turned on her heel, checking her waist.

"I need to retrieve my lightsaber…and dress properly for the conditions." She said quietly, still lost in thought. She disappeared around a corner and Samirah felt complacent just sitting on the floor for now.

She slumped down against the wall, letting out a shaky breath and closing her eyes. Tatooine. A planet drenched in nothing but sand and sunlight. Air so hot and humid that even the shade is no safe haven. Anchorhead. A spaceport still striving to outlast the blaring sun and unstable conditions that the desert could provide. A cavern somewhere in the desert. Samirah's guess was that they would have to venture out into the sands to find it but how far would they have to go? The farther out you travel, the more likely to get lost you are.

You'd beg for death should you lose your way. Samirah was certain about that.

"Just another perk of being a Jedi…" She muttered, laying her head back against the wall. She had forgotten that Canderous was still in the room until he leaned up against the wall beside her.

"Don't worry, kid. If I know you, this planet won't know what hit it." He said, earning her gaze and a small smile. She rested her arms on her knees, fiddling with her fingers.

"You think so?" He nodded stiffly, not meeting her eyes.

"I know so. If you keep it up with that new nickname though…" He started, finally looking at her with a hard expression that made her laugh a little louder than she wanted too. When she finally stifled her laugh, he was frowning. "Yeah, go ahead and laugh _Angel Eyes. _Least your nickname fits you somehow. _Candie._" He shuddered as he said the name to himself and Samirah had to work to stifle her giggle.

"I could call you _Mandie._" She bursted into a fit of laughter when he looked at her in disgust, another shudder running through his body. He cringed a bit as he pushed himself off the wall.

"Forget it. I don't need to hear this or even put up with it!" He said defensively and clearly irritated, but Samirah couldn't help her laughs. He stalked away, mumbling curses in Mando'a.

"Wait, wait!" Samirah cried after him through her fits of laughter, attempting to grab him from the floor. He was already too far away. "Canderous! I know what you're saying and it's not very nice! _**Udessi**__!" _She said using the Mandalorian word for _take it easy._

He still didn't stop_._

She was on her side, still laughing with her head in her arm. After a few moments, she was able to stop laughing aside from a few stray giggles that escaped. She had to admit that he was right. _Candie_ and _Mandie_ were _awful_ nicknames for him. It was verging between being completely cruel and being a pet name. Neither of which were a good thing, especially for a Mandalorian. At least _Angel Eyes_ was a sort of complement.

Samirah let out a deep sigh, a smile still playing on her lips. She was happy to say that her head wasn't aching anymore, at least. It was a dull tingle in the back of her mind now. Ever since the vision overtook, the fog in her mind was fading and with it, the headache. She drew on a little bit of power from the Force, giving her a rejuvenated feeling as if she had just woken up from a dream. They were about to explore Tatooine. She might need that extra boost since she hadn't had any time to meditate or even rest.

She was still smiling with her hand over her eyes when footsteps could be heard clinking against the metal.

"You, uh, alright there?" She removed her arm to see Carth starring at her with a raised eyebrow. His signature flight jacket was unzipped, showing his undershirt clearly. Her smile grew even bigger.

"For once… I'm wonderfully ok, Mr. Onasi." She said with a light and airy tone. And she wasn't lying. She hadn't realized it but her time with Carth had been very limited since leaving Dantooine. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red at the thought of their last encounter.

_When this is all over, when we do everything that we can to win this war… we'll go somewhere. Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa—you name it. We'll take a vacation, ok?_

His words rang clearly in her ears as she watched him with a smile and couldn't help the big grin it gave her. Carth looked at her quizzically, his arms folded over his chest. She glanced at every corner of his face. The way the light hit his brown, unruly hair. The stubble that never seemed to go away and she liked it. His puzzled brown eyes searching hers for clarification—probably still wondering why she was lying on the floor. She couldn't help to wonder about that herself.

She slowly nodded her head.

"Never been better." He just smiled, shaking his head with a raised eyebrow before reaching out to give her a hand. He still wasn't sure what had gotten in to her but he was just happy to see her smile. She didn't hesitate to take his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet as her blush intensified at the memory of before. When he had pulled her in close.

She wanted to avoid anything becoming awkward by being pulled so close to him and being lost in his eyes. Of feeling his breath on her skin and being just so close to him… she didn't think she could stand it. She had this feeling in her gut that when he pulled her up, she would be so close to him and she wouldn't be able to stop what would happen next. The sudden though made her curious because she wanted to know... what _would_ happen next? What was she even pondering? Jedi never thought of such things. _She_ could not think of such things.

Not towards Kelko. Not even towards… Carth.

As Carth helped her up she did what she thought would be better than standing so close to his face. She was sure that she wouldn't be able to hide her blush if she looked straight into his eyes. As he pulled her up, she used the strength in Carth's arm as momentum to propel herself forward. Instead of just pulling enough to get herself to her feet, she pulled with all her might and bounced up into his arms. He was surprised by her suddenness and by how she wrapped her arms around his neck in a sudden embrace. She used so much momentum, however, that she nearly knocked Carth over backwards so he wrapped his arms around her waist and stumbled back a few steps. It was lucky that the holoterminal was behind him because it kept him from falling over.

For a moment, he was frozen with surprise. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, her head buried into the side of his neck and jacket, hiding her face. She didn't say anything so he just kept his arms around her waist, processing everything before laying his head on hers. His cheeks was pressed against the top of her head, the softness of her hair tickling his skin.

When she finally pulled away, she couldn't stop the blush from creeping up on her again, coloring her cheeks. Much to her dismay, her plan backfired. She took a step back and folded her arms behind her, casting her eyes down. So much for not making it all awkward. Carth chuckled, raising a hand to brush her bangs out of her eyes, giving her a crooked smile. She slowly raised her eyes to look at him, the blush deepening a bit at the warm trail his fingers left on the skin of her forehead.

He started to open his mouth to say something but was interrupted as T3 zoomed by, chirping quickly and urgently at Samirah as he bumped into her leg. She jumped, looking down at the persistent droid with raised eyebrows.

"What's up, buttercup?" She said in a chipper tone, trying to seem not so flustered. She welcomed the interruption. T3 spun around in a circle, not ceasing for a moment in his beeps and boops. She just smiled and laughed at his persistence. "Calm down there, T3, calm down. What's the matter?"

He whizzed and spurred, running around in a circle before rushing away. Samirah raised an eyebrow as her eyes followed after the droid. Carth hadn't paid much attention to T3, his eyes still lingering on her faint blush. She was trying to hide it still and he couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly at the faint coloring.

"What was that about?" He asked, drawing her attention back to him. She shrugged slightly, giving him a smirk.

"Something about the sand being blown into the engines and disrupting the hyperdrive if it's left inside to build up. It could cause permanent damage, I think. He wants to hurry and make sure nothing get's damaged…" She said, smiling as she heard Canderous shout in agitation as T3 barreled through the hangar.

She shook her head as the curses continued to ring through the ship, folding her hands behind her back again.

"I need to go dress accordingly before I leave the ship to take care of docking procedures. I'll see you in a bit?" He nodded at her, still smiling as she bounced away.

"Sure… I'll see you in a bit." He whispered with a small smile, ruffling his hair with his hand.

He wasn't exactly sure what had just happened but he was having a little bit of trouble stopping his smile. He couldn't get rid of that smile that lingered and would find its way back when he thought about what had just happened. When he thought about her. The smell of fresh flowers and crisp apples that lingered in his nose, the way her hair felt on his cheek, the warmth of her closeness…

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind him made him jump and turn with his hand stretched out to fire his blaster.

Except his blaster was in the cockpit.

Jolee just grimaced at the rudeness of such a gesture, giving Carth a reproachful look before slowly lifting his hands up in the air in surrender.

"Oh, well now, Sunny… looks like you caught me. I'm a bad, bad old man. Shoot me and put me out of my misery! Oh the woes I have endured! My shameful existence is a blight onto this galaxy! Blah, blah, blah." He said in a feigned tone of shame. Carth lowered his hand with a frown, making Jolee chuckle as he lowered his own.

"If I had my blaster, I could have shot you Jolee!" Jolee just chuckled again, raising an eyebrow.

"Shoot me? I am a Jedi, Sunny. I'd like to think I still retain _some_ of my training from back in the day." Carth just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

"Still… you shouldn't sneak up on people, old man." Jolee just grinned at him, crossing his arms just as Carth had and lifting his eyebrow even higher at him.

"And you shouldn't let your guard down so easily around her." He gestured in the direction Samirah had just gone, a sly smile slowly forming. When Carth didn't say anything, choosing to simply look away to avoid eye contact, Jolee just snorted. "That's what I thought, Sunny."

"What do you want, old man? To tease me?" Carth snapped, his eyes narrowing at the Jedi before him. Jolee just grinned, not even slightly ruffled by Carth. He leaned against the frame of the door, waving a finger.

"Now is that anyway to speak to your elders, Sunny?" Carth just looked at him with an exasperated look. Jolee shook his head. "I guess this crew needs more work than I thought! It's a wonder you young ones have gotten anything done at all! No discipline these days…" He muttered.

"Are you here to give another lecture? I'm not opposed to just-just dumping you on this planet and not having second thoughts about it! Samirah wouldn't even have to know!" He said louder than he had anticipated. He stayed quiet for a moment, wondering if Samirah had heard him and if Jolee was about to use some Jedi trick on him for his outburst. Instead Jolee just grinned at him.

"You may get your chance, Sunny. Sooner than you think." He mused, making Carth all the more worried by the old Jedi's response. Jolee didn't give him a chance to respond as he peered at the holoterminal where the image of Tatooine remained, stroking his chin. "So, Tatooine huh? I haven't been to this dust ball in years. Reminds me of the time—"

"—Would you look at that?" Carth interrupted with feign surprise. "I forgot to put the ship in park!" With that he took off with quick strides, leaving Jolee with a big smile in the room.

He knew the boy could care less about the stories of his youth. Hell, some of them bored_ him _to death when he told them. He used to hate it when he was younger, having to sit and listen to the lessons of the old Jedi Master's at the enclave and even the Master's on Coruscant. _I saved the galaxy once! I ended an invasion once! I remembered my name! blah, blah, blah! _It was dreadfully boring. Always some story they had to tell and be damned if they didn't make you sit and listen to each bit. Well, blast it if it wasn't his turn to force some stories on the youth's of today. From the looks of everything, they very well needed to hear it!

Samirah poked her head into the room and scanned it until her eyes fell on Jolee. She gave him a big smile which made him grimace. When she smiled at him like that… he got a feeling bad things were to come.

"We're about to disembark, are you coming? You might want to change clothes to better fit the climate. It's a little dry compared to Kashyyyk." Jolee grunted.

"Child, I know what Tatooine is like! I'm not a neophyte padawan, just learning to walk! I was walking around on this planet, getting into all sort of trouble before you were—"

"—before I was even born or even a thought for that matter. I know, I know, I know. Are you coming or not, old man?" She said with a half smile, finally stepping into the room so he could see her full body.

She crossed her arms, a cloak wrapped around her shoulders with the hood down. It was a dark brown color and pulled tightly around her. Her hair fell on her shoulders in waves, the uneven pieces sticking out in little curls. All he could see besides her crossed arms were the boots she wore and the straps of a backpack over her shoulders. In her hand was an extra cloak hanging that he suspected was for him. He grimaced at the idea of leaving this cozy ship for a barren wasteland. Before he could protest, she tossed it in his direction and he caught it with a grunt of distaste.

"You expect me to wear this?" She nodded and smiled at his frown.

"The sunshine will do you good. You've been in the darkness of Kashyyyk for so long, don't you miss the light?" She asked nonchalantly, turning to walk away and gather the rest of the crew. He just chuckled.

"_The light? There is darkness wherever there is light, lass. You can't get one without the other…" _He murmured.

* * *

Samirah stepped off the _Ebon Hawk_, looking around and soaking in the planet. It was dry and arid with little whirlwinds of sand sweeping across the docking bay. She noticed that most of the personnel were keeping their faces covered with thick scarves while they worked. Some were merchants, selling trivial goods and others were maintaining the docking procedures. The sound of Samirah's foot crunching into the grit of Tatooine and actually feeling the planet beneath her, as opposed to a metal ship, was a welcomed feeling. She twisted her feet into the dirt, covering the sides of her boots in sand and sinking herself into the dirt until she was met with the concrete.

Canderous slapped her on her back, forcing her to lurch forward and take a few steps to keep her balance. He chuckled when she turned around to frown at him.

"I was enjoying the sand!" She protested and he just ruffled her hair.

"Kid, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the sand. There's plenty of the damnable thing on this planet to bury an army." He assured, walking past her and kicking at the dirt as he did. Carth followed behind, stopping beside her as Canderous mumbled something in Mando'a and stalked towards a fumbling merchant who jumped at his sudden approach.

"Don't listen to him. His version of fun requires two crates of brandy and a duel to the death, I'm sure." He chuckled, placing his hands on his hips. He had one of the cloaks wrapped around his shoulder, his orange flight jacket peering through the small opening. A crème colored desert scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck.

"We need to teach him about 'fun'." She said sourly with her fists on her hips. "I might have to force it on him too…" She mused with a smile forming on her lips that promised bad things to come.

Carth just chuckled, looking at her with an adoring smile and a shake of his head.

"Oh, I'm sure _that'll_ end well." He joked, flinching when she jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "Ow!" He winced, chuckling lightly.

She only crossed her arms and turned her torso to the side as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Serves you right!" She declared before slowly smiling wryly at him.

And there it was. In that moment, Samirah knew it was _their_ moment. They were joking and poking at one another despite the severity of the mission they were on. Samirah couldn't help the feeling of comfort she got from just being around him. From hearing him laugh and seeing him smile. They were pieces of heaven and a sanctuary amongst all the darkness they were surrounded by. Despite what may come and what may happen, she knew that she could rely on Carth to keep her on the right path and to stay true.

_If I could just keep him here… No power in the galaxy could tear me down or break me apart._

She let the thought cross her mind and it brought a smile to her face which made Carth return the smile. So maybe he didn't know what she was thinking… but seeing her smile had made him smile and that was all Samirah needed. It was the little things like this that kept her going and reminded her that no matter how impossible their mission seemed, so long as he was by her side, they could accomplish anything.

At least… that was how she felt.

No matter how much she missed Kelko and her ship… whenever Carth was near her, she felt like she _was _home. She felt like everything would be ok.

Carth's eyes moved to her back and a curious look took shape on his face.

"Hey… isn't that…" He started, forcing her to look over her shoulder and look at the backpack she was carrying. "You still have it." He said in genuine surprise, making her grin triumphantly.

"Well of course I still have it. It reminds me that beyond this mission... I have another duty." She said, looking up at the expanse of sky and shielding her eyes from the twin suns with her hand. "Someone saved me, Carth… they saved me and now I've got to ensure that their sacrifice wasn't in vain."

She looked over at Carth, his face staring up where she had been looking with his hand shielding his eyes. The glare of the suns made it hard to look up for too long and the heat was slowly becoming unbearable.

"Samirah… I don't think his sacrifice was in vain. I don't think it ever will be. Already, you have saved more people and more lives than I think even you realize." He glanced at her from the side, giving her his crooked smile. "I'm happy that out of all the people on the _Endar Spire…_ it was you he saved."

Samirah dropped her gaze, not really sure what to say. She tried to hide her blush from Carth but he just chuckled, reaching out and cupping her chin to make her look at him. She fidgeted, trying to pull away but he wouldn't let her.

"Now why would you try and hide? Are you blushing, Samirah?" He teased. Despite her efforts to pull away and hide her blushing smile, he managed a glimpse. After a moment she was finally able to pull her chin free of his grasp and quickly looked away, her blush only intensifying.

"That's not fair! I am not!" She protested. "I just—well you know—it's hot out and the glare and the way the two suns are…" She rambled, not able to meet his eyes while he chuckled.

"Sure it is…" He simply said. Samirah turned slightly to look at him, trying to see him out of the corner of her eye, pursing her lips a bit.

He had looked away for a moment to survey the docking bay with a smirk still in place, one hand on his hip. She examined the stubble on his face and the rugged look it gave him, especially when paired with his desert scarf. She noted his brown eyes which seemed so much brighter when the suns rays reached them. Since he was smiling, there was this look of contentment in them that she very much liked to see. She hadn't realized that she was staring at him until he peered at her from the corner of his eye, catching her. She looked away quickly, turning to look in the opposite direction to hide her embarrassment again. She took a deep breath of fresh air to calm her nerves and immediately regretted her decision. Instead of air, she inhaled a big gust of dust and sand that covered the docking bay. She immediately began coughing, trying to rid her body of the grains of sand while Carth patted her back to try and help her out. Her face contorted as she tried to breathe and cough at the same time, unsuccessfully.

"You alright?" He asked, holding back a laugh as she tried to regain composure, nodding her head quickly. Every time she tried to take a steady breath, a cough would interrupt and throw her back into a fit. Canderous just rolled his eyes at her as he approached them again, leaving the merchant behind him a little shaky.

"This isn't a good start, Kid. If you can't handle the sand here… would hate to see you out in the dunes." He stated. Samirah simply waved him off with a grimace as her coughing slowly subsided. However, it did make her throat dry and leave an unpleasant taste and grainy feeling in her mouth.

"_Oh… shut…up…"_ She choked out, glaring at him. Canderous just snorted at her.

Canderous didn't wear a cloak but instead, had just the desert scarf wrapped around his mouth and neck. A pair of goggles were situated over his eyes so that he could still see and take aim when he needed too. Samirah assumed that's what he had gone to the merchant for. The rest of his attire was his usual cargo pants and black top, appropriately strapped down with his set of weaponry. He crossed his arms at her, shaking his head slowly as he waited for her to settle down. His eyes roamed the docking bay until he saw the Customs Officer walking their way, a silly grin on his face and a data pad in his hand.

"Let me guess, another docking fee?" Carth muttered. Canderous just grunted, taking a sideways glance at Samirah who was making faces at the taste that lingered in her mouth. She was trying to get the sand and the taste out but without any progress. Her hands were pawing at her face and tongue, giving Canderous the impression that she wouldn't help their situation with the Customs Officer. She'd simply look like easy prey to them.

"I guess I'll handle it." He finally stated, walking away with a shake of his head before Samirah could stop him.

"Wait, Canderous—oh, bugger. Please don't let him shoot anybody…" She groaned in a hoarse voice, making Carth laugh.

"He's a Mandalorian. All they do is shoot people." When she looked at him in horror, he just laughed. "Relax, it'll be fine. He knows you wouldn't stand for it if he shot somebody. He won't hurt anyone so long as he has your wrath to fear. I'd say that's enough to scare anybody, honestly."

Feeling a little more reassured, she nodded as Mission bounced down the loading ramp with a water bottle in tow. She had found a cloak and had it tightly wrapped around her shoulders for protection, her vibroblade strapped across her back. She was in her usual attire which included her jacket, vest, leggings and thigh high boots. She handed the bottle to Samirah with a big grin, watching as she graciously took the bottle and rinsed her mouth out with it. Carth just smiled, watching as she thoroughly removed any trace of sand that was left.

"Sheesh, I could hear you all the way inside the ship! What'd you do? Did you gargle some sand or something?" She joked. Samirah spat the water out, handing the bottle back with a grimace.

"It feels like it…" Mission giggled as she took back the bottle, fastening it to her belt. "Good thinking on the bottle." Mission just shrugged.

"I survived Taris for how long? I think I know a thing or two on surviving." She said proudly, her hands firmly planted on her hips in a stance of triumph.

Carth and Samirah both just smiled at Mission, a proud grin on the Twi'lek's face. After a moment's thought, Samirah knitted her brows together but kept a small smirk in place.

"Wait a second, Mission…" She started, making Mission's stance falter a bit. "If you're here… Where's Sasha? Who's looking after her?" She asked. Mission immediately rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest.

"What? You think I'm _that_ irresponsible? She's sleeping so I figured Big Z could look after her for a bit. He'll contact me if she wakes up, don't you worry about that, Sami. I'm just not going to miss my chance to explore some place new! You guys left me behind on Kashyyyk, well not this time!" She stated firmly. "There are credits to be made!"

Samirah crossed her arms and shook her head at Mission but otherwise kept her mouth shut. She had to admit that Mission was making a valid point. They did leave her behind to watch the ship and she ended up getting into more trouble that way then she would have had she gone with them. However, Samirah didn't like the idea of Mission wandering around on Tatooine by herself. She also knew that she couldn't tell Mission that, either. She would only throw a fit about how she was being treated like a kid… despite the fact that she technically was.

The last thing Samirah wanted was for someone to mistake Mission or kidnap her for whatever reason. Not that Mission wouldn't put up a fight and possibly blow something up in the process…

"Just be careful, Mission. Keep T3 with you, just in case." Carth said, much to Samirah's surprise and delight. She gave him a quick nod and a smile in way of a thank you for having the same thoughts she had. Mission just rolled her eyes.

"He'll only—"

"**Hello there, Captain!"** They all jumped at the sound of a sudden voice behind them followed by quick footsteps across the sand. They turned to find an Aqualish hurrying to greet them, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Uhm, well… hello to you, uh, sir. What can I do you for?" Samirah asked hesitantly, looking around to make sure it was her he was addressing. He pulled out a datapad, scrolling through it quickly with his finger.

"**Well, let's see. I'm Jor Ul Kurax and… ah, yes!"** He said after glancing up and around the docking bay for a moment. **"Yes, this is the right spot. Here it is. It looks like the shipment has been correctly delivered to the correct docking bay, as requested."**

"Oh, excellent! Thank you!" She said excitedly before pausing a moment. She slowly tilted her head at him with a puzzled look. "What shipment?" she finally asked. He cocked his head to the side, before looking around again.

"**This… is the right, place, isn't it? Yes. Yes it is. It's docking bay 32. 32. Right there. It says 32."** He scrolled through the datapad again, tapping it several times and looking it over before nodding his head. **"Yes, it says docking bay 32. This is docking bay 32. So the shipment goes to you!"** He stated with finality, showing her the screen of the datapad. After briefly glancing at it, she pushed it to the side to stare at him with wide eyes.

"What shipment, though? You don't seem to understand… uh, sir… I didn't order anything… did I?" She looked to Carth and he just shrugged.

"Not that I know of. I wasn't told to expect anything."

"**Well, the gizka are your problem now."** He said with a big grin. **"Not mine. Because this is docking bay 32. And this form says to deliver it to docking bay 32. I've been here a week waiting for the ship to arrive in docking bay 32. You landed in docking bay 32. So it's your shipment!"** He said, pointing his finger at her sharply, making her cringe away from him.

"But, I just now got here and I didn't order anything!? Wait…" She said after what he had just said finally hit her. "What do you mean, 'gizka'? I definitely didn't order any of those things! I didn't order _anything _at all!"

"**Yes you did! It says right here on the manifest to deliver it to docking—"**

"—bay 32! I get it! I get it! This is 32! What I'm telling **you** is that I didn't order anything!" She shouted back at him, raising some eyebrows from nearby mechanics and Anchorhead personnel. The Aqualish just sighed irritably, shaking his head before scrolling through the datapad again.

"**Look, Captain, I don't know what to tell you. I'm following orders and it says to deliver the shipment. So that's what I'm going to do."** He said, waving to someone off to the side but she didn't pay any attention to whoever he waved at. They weren't her focus right now. She was focused too intently on this Aqualish and on getting him to understand it wasn't her shipment.

"What are you talking about? It's not mine! You messed up somewhere! You had to have messed up!" Carth put a hand on her shoulder to calm her but she simply just shrugged it off. Jor didn't look at her but kept his eyes on the datapad which only frustrated Samirah more.

"**All I need from you right now is your thumbprint for the…"** He checked his pocket and looked around before sighing. "**Wait a second… where did the datapad with the form go?"** When he came up empty, he simply scratched his head. **"Nothing is ever organized around here. Oh well…"**

When he just shrugged, turning to walk away, Samirah grabbed the back of his shirt and forcefully pulled him back. Her eyes were wide in shock.

"What do you mean, _oh well?"_ Samirah said, her voice rising a few octaves. "Can you even do that? Can you just dismiss it like that? What about protocol?! He can't do that, can he?" She looked at Carth for an answer but again, he only shrugged. He was just as confused as she was. Jor just nodded with a shrug of his own.

"**Yep. It seems I can. The Gizka are—"** A scream from within the ship forced Samirah to spin around in time to see a man running down the loading ramp as Bastila came running behind him, throwing various items from the ship at him.

Some pieces looking oddly like tools from the cargo bay… and she was pretty sure they belonged to Canderous.

Samirah just buried her head in her hands as Bastila shouted loudly at the running loader, drawing even more eyes on them.

"You take those horrid creatures back, right this instant! You incompetent, bumbling, half-brained fool! Don't you dare keep running! You come back here!" Carth ran and caught Bastila around the waist as she began shouting other insults at the man, giving the second loader a chance to escape the ship before she turned on him. "Carth, unhand me this instant!"

She kicked and wiggled and tried her hardest to break free from Carth until he finally let her go. By then, however, the two men had already disappeared into Anchorhead. Samirah slowly turned and looked at Jor evenly, crossing her arms at him. He was listening to something on his comm before slowly smiling nervously at Samirah.

"Will you _please _just take them back. I really don't have the means to… to… what do I even do with gizka? Who orders such a thing? I didn't order _anything!_" She cried, swinging her arm to the side to emphasize her point. Jor just shook his head at her.

"**I'm afraid I can't do that. It would, uh, also appear that, um, one of the loaders dropped a crate and it split open… in your hold… so some of the critters might have… well… gotten loose."**

"_Might?!"_ Bastila shouted at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously at him as she reached for her lightsaber. Carth immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and covered her mouth with his hand as he dragged her away again. He knew if she stayed there any longer, she'd cause a bit of an incident. Or, at the very least, make this one an already bigger mess. Samirah rubbed the temples of her head with both hands.

"**That happens, I'm afraid. We don't accept liability… and we certainly couldn't take the cargo back. They're yours now. Good luck."** He spun around on his heel before Samirah could register what he had said. By time she did, he had already broken out into a sprint, nearing the exit into Anchorhead.

"Wait just a minute you—"Her shout was cut off when Mission tugged on her arm, forcing her to turn around. She was met with the scene of Bastila trying her hardest to escape Carth's arms and chase after the culprits. She was kicking and hitting him, causing his face to distort when she managed to hit his gut. Meanwhile, Canderous and what looked to be Jolee, were hassling the Customs Officer whose eyes had gone wide and his knuckles white as he clutched his datapad tightly.

Her eyes roamed over the docking bay, only to find that everybody had stopped what they were doing to look on at the spectacle before them. She put her hands over her face, not wanting to look and hoping that it would all just go away. They really didn't need this kind of attention especially when Malak was surely looking for them. When it was just her and Kelko, she was pretty sure they didn't have these kinds of problems. Mission just kept tugging on her sleeve, forcing her to look back at them.

"Uh… Sami… we might want to stop them…" She said shakily as Bastila started hitting Carth's arm with her hands balled up in fists. Samirah watched in exasperation, nodding her head.

"You go after Jolee and Canderous, I'll save Carth." Mission nodded, breaking out into a sprint towards Canderous and Jolee. Samirah did the same, hurrying to Carth as he reached the wall of the docking bay, leaning against it while Bastila struggled against him.

"Bastila! Will you just calm down!" Carth shouted at her, flinching as she hit his arm. "Bastila, just—AHH!" His hand jerked away from her mouth and he released his hold on her. He started shaking his hand in the air, glaring at Bastila as she spun around and returned the glare.

"You bit me?!" He exclaimed and she planted her hands on her hip.

"I had to! Now, because of you, those criminals have escaped my grasp and we are left with a ship full of gizka! They are everywhere, running wild and rampant and I can tell from the look in their eyes that they are trying to make a home out of our ship! This will not stand! T3 is in the process of trying to round them up and I was going to find those men and force them to take it all back but now, because of you, I have lost my opportunity! This is all _your_ fault, Carth!"

"My fault?!" He exclaimed in shock. "How the hell is this _my _fault?"

"Because it is!" She shouted back at him, her arms stiff at her side. "You didn't have to go and carry me away from those-those-those deviants!"

"Well, you didn't have to bite me to break free… that's a little savage for a Jedi, isn't it?" He muttered, looking over his hand for bite marks. She crossed her arms, looking away as Samirah approached them with a frown.

"Savage? Savage is having those… those things on our ship… and I didn't _bite _you." She said, looking away with her head held high in a pompous stance. Carth raised an eyebrow at her incredulously.

"Oh really?" She didn't meet his eyes.

"Will you two quit it?" Samirah demanded with a stern face, coming to a stop between the two of them. "We don't need to be making a scene before we even leave the docking bay and Bastila, don't bite people!" She pleaded urgently, giving Bastila an odd look when she mentioned the biting.

Carth and Bastila shared a look but didn't say anything to one another. Samirah let out an exasperated breath and looked at them both pointedly. She kept her eyes on both of them, waiting for someone to speak up.

"I didn't bite him," Bastila finally declared, "I would never do such a crude thing." Carth just rolled his eyes at her.

"Yeah? Is that right? Well, whatever the hell it is you did, it left a mark and damn well hurt!"

"Oh, it wasn't that bad! You're over exaggerating. It was just a... nip." Carth scoffed at her, holding his hand out in the light to show the red mark on his palm. Samirah peered at it in disbelief, raising her eyebrows.

"A _nip?_" He asked in disbelief. "Oh, well, if that was all. Makes it sound a _hundred _times better, now doesn't it?" He said sarcastically.

She didn't meet his eyes, looking away with her head held high as if what he was saying was preposterous. Samirah shook her head, looking down with both hands on her hip. She leaned on her left leg, tapping the ground with her right to show her impatience with the two of them.

"If you two are quite finished, we sort of have a planet to comb through in order to find this map." She instructed, watching as they both stubbornly glared at each other. After a moment, however, they both deftly nodded.

Samirah let out a sigh of relief before turning her attention to Mission. The Twi'lek had one hand on her hip and the other making wild gestures at Canderous while Jolee just grinned at the Customs Officer.

"Don't either one of you move." Samirah instructed sternly, looking over her shoulder at Bastila and Carth. When no one said anything, she directed two fingers at her eyes and then pointed them at Carth and Bastila with raised eyebrows. Not waiting for a response, she moved quickly over to the rest of her party.

"…can't do that!" Mission chastised. She crossed her arms, looking at Canderous with a frown and waiting for him to respond but he only grunted.

"Why are you yelling at me?" He complained. "All I did was ask the nice fellow why he needed a docking fee."

"Highway robbery, if you ask me. I'm an old man. I don't have much longer to live, you know, sunny." Jolee said in a weak and feeble voice that Samirah knew was very well a ploy.

"We know better than that, Jolee." Samirah said flatly, approaching the group and standing off to the side. The Customs officer was clearly weary of her presence, unsure if she was there for his cause… or worse, theirs. Jolee just grunted, folding his arms over his chest with a frown.

"I…I… I just want to collect my docking fee and… well… move on, you see. Your ship isn't registered, ma'am. We need to get you registered with us… are you here for business or pleasure?" The Officer asked, flinching when Canderous looked at him sharply.

"Registration? Business or Pleasure? We're here for pleasure." He said sarcastically, throwing an arm around Samirah and pulling her in close, much to her surprise. "We're on our honey moon. Brought the whole family with us. Thought the desert fit our relationship, you see."

The officer blinked in genuine surprise, looking slowly from Samirah to Canderous. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Samirah pushed herself off of Canderous, glaring at him. He was too focused on the Officer to really pay her any mind at this point. He was getting irritated that the officer was so nosey.

"What the hell do you think we're here for on this dust ball of a planet? Huh? What makes you think we want to be in your system, anyway? Now, I asked you a question about that map and—"

"I told you, I don't know about anything like that! A-Any treasure hunting you might want to do, you'll need a-a hunting license! And you'll need to be registered in our system… I only deal with the registration, I swear! Not any of that treasure hunting b-buisiness." He stammered, the datapad in his hands shaking.

"Canderous, you can't threaten the poor guy!" Mission exclaimed with wide eyes. She turned to him, smiling as sweetly and as innocently as she could at the Officer. "I'm sorry about my friend. He grew up without any manners. Hard home life, ya know?"

Canderous just stared at her before an angry look overcame him. Before he could raise his arm and speak out against Mission, Samirah grabbed him and dragged him backwards using the Force to help ensure she could move the big Mandalorian. When she had him pulled away far enough, she gave him a stern look before signaling that he stay put. He crossed his arms, glaring but she returned the same look before signaling again that he stay put. He stiffly nodded and she spun around before walking back. She glanced quickly at Carth and Bastila to ensure they weren't fighting again and to her relief, they weren't even looking at each other. She smiled, returning her attention to the Customs Officer.

Unfortunately, as she was walking back, her face dropped as Jolee waved his hand in front of the poor man.

"You really don't want to take credits from an old, old man, now do you, sunny?" He said in a low voice and the Customs Officer's face slacked a bit.

"I.. I, uh, I really don't want to take credits from an old, old man." He murmured, looking down at his datapad. "We get enough credits from travelers… I… I'm sure it's ok just this once." He said, giving them all a nervous smile.

Samirah put her face into the palm of her hand as the Customs Officer shook Jolee's hand.

"Enjoy your stay at Anchorhead, sir. I apologize for the trouble." As he left, Jolee walked over and patted Samirah on her back.

"Hehe, reminds me of my old smuggling days. Nothing better than the old Jedi mind trick for getting past an overly curious Customs Officer." He said, a proud grin on his face. Samirah looked up at him, feeling exasperated.

"We haven't even made it out of the docking bay and we're already fighting with merchants, Customs Officers and using mind tricks…" She groaned.

She began to tie her hair up, shaking her head at Jolee as she did so. When her hair was pulled back, she looked at Jolee with a disapproving look. He just smiled and shrugged.

"Fun, isn't it?" He mused, walking away and leaving her with Mission and a pouting Canderous behind her. She noticed that, despite his complaints, he had the cloak he gave her wrapped securely around his shoulders. She noted how he'd occasionally wiggle his shoulders under the cloth and scratch his shoulder but otherwise, kept the cloak on.

At least that was something.

"Oh, so what? The old man can use mind tricks on that pitiful excuse for a man and I can't even ask a question?" Canderous protested.

Samirah just turned and looked at him evenly.

"Don't _even_ start with me, Canderous Ordo. I will Force slap you so hard—"

"Samirah!" Mission interrupted. Samirah took a deep breath, careful not to inhale any sand this time. She slowly nodded her head, taking a few more calming breaths before rubbing her forehead again.

That hadn't even started scouring the planet yet and she was already tired and letting things get under her skin. If she wasn't careful, she'd use Canderous as a training dummy and beat the hell out of him with the hilt of her lightsaber. She had to admit… the thought was amusing.

"_There is no emotion… there is only peace…"_ She muttered to herself. "Right, right. We don't have time for this. I'm sorry." She finally said, looking to Canderous with a strained smile. As usual, his only response was grunt. She just smiled at him, re-envisioning him as a training dummy that she could hit. Repeatedly.

She finally looked away, scouting out the docking bay one last time. Carth and Bastila were still not speaking to each other but they had stayed right where Samirah had left them. Canderous grumbled to himself in Mando'a, most likely complaining about Samirah, she was sure. Jolee was haggling with some Merchant that Canderous had previously visited who sold stims and a few other choice goods it seemed. The goggles included. Samirah could only hope that he wasn't giving the poor merchant too much trouble. Or using too many Jedi mind tricks. Those were bad too.

"Canderous?" She asked, her eyes still on Jolee. He only grunted in way of a response, making her roll her eyes. "That Officer said something about a hunting license?"

"That? You don't seem like much of a hunter to me, kid." He said with a carefully contained snort. She turned to look at him in thought.

"No… I'm not… but a hunter would know this planet better than we would, right? They've probably scoured plenty of caves…" She mused out loud and Canderous' face lit up with understanding. After a moment of thought, they both smiled at one another.

"Well look at that, the kid's using her head." He said with a grin, ruffling her hair with his hand as he usually did. She swatted his hand away, frowning when it ruined her ponytail. "It's as good a place as any to start."

He walked past her and headed for the docking bay door, not wasting another moment or even waiting for anyone else. Samirah adjusted the backpack she was carrying before pulling the hood up over her head. The wind was picking up a bit and rustling the dust on the spaceport, causing several merchants to pull down sheets over their stands. However, they remained where they were and simply prepared themselves for the oncoming dust storm.

Samirah pulled her cloak in close around her face as the wind slowly started to pick up.

"_Welcome to Tatooine…" _She muttered.

She turned her head to see Bastila hurrying back to the ship, an arm across her eyes to block out the wind. Carth had already pulled his hood up and over his head to block out the sand as well as pulling the scarf around his nose and mouth. He was making his way over to Samirah and Mission, reminding Samirah a little bit of a rogue the way his cloak billowed behind him. An odd look when you compared it to Carth, of all people.

"Mission…" She said, looking to the Twi'lek beside her who had pulled the hood over her head as well. She looked up at Samirah, holding the hood around her face. "Go ahead and see what you can't find out in Anchorhead. Canderous is checking on the hunting license so anything else you can find out would be good. Just be careful, ok?"

She nodded her head quickly, giving Samirah a big smile.

"Sure thing. I'll contact you if I come across anything good!" She turned on her heel and pulled her cloak in close as she made her way to the docking bay door. Samirah watched until Mission had made it inside before turning to Carth.

Her comlink buzzed to life before Bastila's voice came through.

"_Ugh, get out of my way you filthy creature! Samirah? Samirah? Can you read me?"_ Samirah held her comlink up to her mouth, pursing her lips.

"Yeah, I can hear you. What do you need?" She asked as Carth came to a stop in front of her. He cocked his head to the side, waiting on Samirah.

"_Ugh, I told you to go away!" _She shouted into the comlink, making Samirah flinch at the frequency. After a moment and a long sigh, Bastila spoke more quietly. "_Blasted creatures… Samirah, I will regroup with you and Carth momentarily. T3 and I are going to see if we can't at the very least, contain these things… No, T3, don't let it get in my bed! No!" _She screamed before the transmission ended, leaving Carth and Samirah wide eyed.

"Oh no…" Samirah groaned, putting away her comlink. "This is going to be a problem later, isn't it?" He shrugged, chuckling.

"Well, it's not like there's much we can do about it now. We might as well go ahead and see what we can't find inside. We wait here for her and all we'll hear is her complaining." He said, his voice slightly muffled through the scarf and sound of the wind. He had his arms folded over his chest, cocking his head slightly to the side.

Samirah smiled faintly at him, noting the impact his eyes had since they were all she could really see. She nodded her head, looking around the docking bay for Jolee. To her dismay, she'd lost him. She spun around, looking in all directions before frowning when he was nowhere to be found. She took her eyes off him for one moment and the old man goes wandering.

"Jolee?" She said into the small comlink, awaiting an answer. Nothing. "Jolee?" She frowned when she was met with more silence.

"I'm sure we'll run into him." Carth reassured. "I don't think he's the kind who wants to get stranded on Tatooine for too long. I'm sure Kashyyyk was bad enough."

"I'm sure you're right… I would just feel better knowing where he was… Jedi or not, he's still an old man." Carth just chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Old man? From what little I know about Jedi… it's the old ones you have to watch out for. They're the ones that will surprise you." She nodded her head with a sigh. It didn't really make her feel any better but he had a bit of a point. He managed to survive Kashyyyk for several years. A few hours on Tatooine and he should, hopefully, be fine.

"How's your hand?" She asked with a rueful smile. She couldn't tell with the scarf wrapped around his mouth but looking at his eyes, she could tell he was frowning.

"It's ok, thanks for asking. It would have been better if she _hadn't_ bit me…" He stated sourly, making Samirah giggle.

"I have to say, I never thought I'd hear about Bastila biting people." She said with a grin. Bastila seemed way too proper to start biting people. The thought somehow gave Samirah a new prospective on the Jedi.

"Yeah, me neither…" Carth muttered just loud enough for Samirah to hear him. "Ready to venture inside?" He asked, nodding his head towards the docking bay doors. She nodded her head and pulled her hood tighter around her face.

"Yes. Let's get out of here before someone else wants to make this more complicated than it already is." Carth just chuckled as he followed after Samirah, the wind muffling his voice.

Most of the merchants and personnel wore goggles and scarves as they moved around in the wind. It wasn't the usual kind of sandstorm. By their standards, it was just an ordinary day, Samirah was sure. Someone stood by the door to Anchorhead, appropriately dressed for the conditions as he scrolled through a datapad. When Samirah and Carth approached, he looked up at them and smiled.

"Welcome to Anchorhead, travelers. I hope you enjoy your stay." He promptly turned to a keypad on the wall, punching in a few numbers and the doors swung open for them slowly. He smiled again before returning his attention to his datapad.

Carth and Samirah shared a look before he gestured for her to go first. She nodded, walking through with Carth trailing behind her. They were at Anchorhead. One of the first settlements on Tatooine and the gateway to finding the map. Malak and Revan had been here. They had traveled this way and found the star map which led them further down a path that they had no hope of returning from. Samirah was determined to follow after them. If it meant venturing out into the wastes of this planet… into the dunes of the massive dune sea, then that was where she would go.

The desert planet.

The wind picked up a bit, blowing the cape of her cloak behind her as she stepped into Anchorhead. She looked up from under the hood of her cloak and smiled.

"_Alright… I'm here… now show me where to go…" _She said quietly to herself, speaking mostly to the Force if it was truly going to be her guide. Bastila believed it would be and as of yet, it hadn't been wrong.

And Samirah had a feeling it wasn't going to be wrong this time either.

* * *

**Thank you for your continuous patience with me. **

**If you don't mind to review and let me know what your thoughts are, just so I know I'm not losing my touch. My hope that is with each chapter, my writing continues to get better so I appreciate any and all feedback! I don't have a Beta (I figure I would make them nervous as hell waiting for me to finish a chapter and send it to them lol) so I'm sure there are typos here and there. I've been working to try and catch them or fix where the site may scrunch words together because it doesn't recognize symbols and such but I don't always catch them so I'm terribly sorry about that.**

**Don't forget to vote for which planet we'll head to next. Unless I can think of a new poll, this will be the last one! So make it count!**

**Thank you guys! I hope to have a new chapter up soon!**

**-SilverShards-**


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